Harry Potter and the Order of the Rising Dragon
by Guardian of the crest
Summary: Where there is Darkness there will be Light... Yugi, Bakura, Malik, and Kaiba all wake up to an owl one morning. They have no idea of the wild ride that lies ahead of them.... HP/YGO Crossover with a few surprises along the way... PLZ R&R!
1. Prologue

Ace: OK. Listen you all have exactly three seconds to start running before-

Gotc: HIYA FOLKS!!

Ace: Oh dear God…

Gotc: Well, allow me to introduce mehself and the rest of my disclaimer crew! I am the almighty authoress: Gotc! Bow to me mortals!

Ace: Great…you should have ran while you still had the chance…

Gotc: My sunny dispositioned friend next to me here is Ace. He has been in just about every story I have ever written, and this one shall be no different! Call him a security blanket of man-pretty if you will. Now for the adorable Shamu chibi who keeps my rear out of prison….Squeaky the Whale!!

Squeaky: Squeak! (Hi there everybody! I'll be your guide though the tangle of disclaimers that is this fic!)

Ace: YOU ARE NOT SAYING ALL OF THAT IN ONE "SQUEAK"!

Gotc: You're just jealous. Now hush. Ok, so this is my first attempt at a Harry Potter fic…and it's going to be an X-over with Yu-gi-oh. What can I say? The two go together. And for all of you fangirls out there, this fic shall feature the following Hikaris and their Yamis….and Kaiba: Yugi! Bakura! And Malik! And like I said earlier, Ace shall be in this as well!

Ace: hoo-fricken-ray…

Gotc: Be nice. I'm going to do a few things I haven't seen yet in any of the Harry Potter fics I've read, and something I haven't seen yet in any YGO fics! So brace yourselves and let's dive in! Squeaky!

Squeaky: Squeak! (Gotc owns not HP or YGO, although Ace is hers and reminds him on a daily basis!)

Gotc: That I do….NOW! ON TO THE FIC!!

_Harry Potter and the Order of the Rising Dragon_

CHAPTER 0: Prologue

_Wizards. Muggles. The two groups living in relative peace, while the latter has no idea the other even exists. It has been this way for centuries, neither wanting to disrupt the delicate balance that keeps their two existences apart. …_

_But it was not always this way…. In times long since lost to the memories of wizard and muggle alike, the two fought along side each other, both striving to accomplish a common goal. Magic, and might. It took both to bring down the one threat that could have destroyed the entire world. It took both to return their enemy back to the shadows from whence it came…._

_Despite this…wizards and muggles grew apart, all the while maintaining the delicate balance that not only kept them apart, but also bound the two together… And with the slow passage of time, their once mighty alliance was forgotten…._

_Now, something stirs in the darkness once more…Waiting, and biding its time to once more taste the free air that it so desperately desires. It's foe has become divided, but so long as both exist, there is always the chance their alliance will be forged anew. Where there are wizards, there are muggles. Where there is Darkness, there shall be Light…._

Gotc: Yes, I know it was short, but it's just laying the ground work. I promise this will get good and fast! And hopefully I'll get to introduce you to my little plot devices veeeeerrrrryyyy soon… Please R&R and let me know what you think!!


	2. An Unusual Offer

Gotc: YAY!! PEOPLE ARE ACTUALLY READING THIS!! AND SOMEONE REVEWED!!

Ace: This is a big day for you isn't it?

Gotc: You betcha. Well, I will apologize for the last chappie being so short, but hopefully this one will make up for it all. It is where I unveil the first of many plot twists!!

Ace: Sure…Whatever…

Gotc: And you're going to going to be participating, SO GET IN THERE! Squeaky!!

Squeaky: Squeak! (Harry Potter and Yu-gi-oh belong to other people. Ace does not.)

Gotc: Have fun readin' y'all!!

_--_

_Harry Potter and the Order of the Rising Dragon_

CHAPTER 1: An Unusual Offer

It took a lot to get Albus Dumbledore flustered, and even more to make him angry, but the Ministry of Magic was working hard to find out excactly how much he was willing to take. His normally disorganized office had been burried under what hundreds of letters, scraps of parchment, and old, forgotten issues of the Daily Prophet littered the floor. His fireplace was in a desperate need of a good cleaning, since he'd kept it burning almost non-stop the entire summer for use as an emergency means of contact with the Grimwald Place.

He tossed the latest enstallment of the Prophet onto his already heaping desk, earning him and indignant squawk from Fawkes as the paper jostled his perch. Of course their head story was going to be his expulsion from the Chairmanship of the International Confederation of Wizards, and his demotion in the Wizengamot. The weary Headmaster leaned back in his chair and rubbed the tip of his wand against his temple. He wondered briefly how long it would take for it to "leak" about the Ministry's plan to take away his Order of Merlin.

And almost as to top it all off, Fudge had gone so far as to even _assign _Hogwarts a new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher. The owl that had brought the letter was still lazily preening itself on his window sill, waiting for his reply to return to the Minister. Another of the tawny birds sat in his bookshelf after it's delivery of a letter notifying him of an infraction of the Decree for the Reasonable Restriction of Underage Sorcery by none other than Harry Potter himself. Of course by the time it had arrived, he was already well aware of it, and Mundungus had learned a lesson he wasn't about to forget.

Not that it surprised him, Dumbledore had figured that Voldermort would try something of the sort. What he hadn't counted on, was that Mundungus Fletcher running off and leaving Harry on his own. It had taken most of the night to sort things out with the Ministry, and even then there was still so much more to do. He'd already sent out several owls to help arrange Harry's transport to Number Twelve, and received several back in response. They'd have to move him again soon, before Voldermort could try another attack. But that problem was safely in the hands of Alastor Moody, and could be dealt with later.

He picked up another leaf of parchment and looked it over again. Apparently there had been several new appearances of new wizards appear almost overnight. Three in Japan, and one in Egypt. The trouble seemed to be an odd sort of disturbance surrounding the four, but no one seemed quite sure yet what it was, only that it was the reason they hadn't been discovered until recently. What had him concerned, was a sudden surge of known Death Eaters in the nearby area of these new wizards. What was it that Voldermort knew that he didn't? Well, whatever it was, there was no doubt in his mind that the Dark Wizard had his sights aimed at them.

"HOW DARE THOSE BIG-HEADED MINISTRY BUEROCRATS?!" Came the voice of Minerva McGonagall from the doorway as she burst into his office, clutching a copy of the Daily Prophet in one hand, "Albus! You can't let Fudge do this to you! He's a complete fool who has no idea-"

"I'll be fine Minerva," Dumbledore chuckled lightly, "So long as they keep me on chocolate frog cards, I'll survive."

"But after all you've done for them! And for them to just- OoooH!" The deputy Headmistress groaned in frustration.

"We'll have to deal with that later, I suppose," Dumbledore sighed, adjusting his half-moon spectacles, and handed her the sheet of parchment he'd been holding, "Right now I would like you to do me a favor and write to these four young wizards and extend to them an invitation to our school, if you would."

McGonagall looked the letter over carefully, and scrunched her eyebrows together in confusion.

"Japan? Egypt? Shouldn't they be going to their own schools instead of Hogwarts?" She asked puzzled.

"I feel they may perhaps be a little more….secure here at Hogwarts,"

"Albus, you don't think that You-Know-Who could be after them do you?"

"I'm not willing to take the chance," Dumbledore said evenly, "So if you would please dispatch an owl to them as soon as you can?"

"Of course," McGonagall sighed, "And what about Potter? What has the Ministry decided to do with him?"

"There will be a hearing on the Twelfth of August," Dumbledore said wearily, "Until the he'll be safe enough."

Minerva straightened her robes with a huff, and adjusted her hat.

"Underage magic indeed," She said shortly, "How else are the children supposed to defend themselves in these times, if they can't use magic?"

Dumbledore understood her frustration all to well, having had the very same argument with Cornelius Fudge only a few hours ago. His tired eyes drifted down to a discarded muggle newspaper. The headline was bland and uninteresting, but for some reason it managed to catch his eye.

"49th Martial Arts Tournament to be held in London, 4 time Champion looks to his fifth title."

Dumbledore stooped to pick up the paper, his eyes scanning over it quickly as a grin began to spread over his face.

"How indeed Minerva….How indeed…"

--

The night air was filled with the rampant cheers of thousands of fans and the bright lights of the massive stadium.

"LADIES AND GENTLEMEN! I DON'T BELIEVE IT! COOPER IS DOWN!"

A roar of excitement rippled through the stands, reverberating through the entire stadium. On the stadium floor below, a man went crashing into the cement wall if the ring. One cough brought a thin crimson fluid to his mouth, spraying it on the ring's floor.

"It's o're 'Ardtack!" A huge blond man said advancing on his opponent, "Four titles is e'nough."

Suddenly, the fallen man launched himself straight at the blond, throwing him backwards and onto the arena floor. The man heaved heavily, trying to catch his breath. His frame was lean, but powerful, even though it was littered with rapidly growing bruises. Long midnight hair was tied back into a rough ponytail, while his bangs hung in his sharp cerulean eyes. A devious grin was spreading across his face, as he managed to stand upright.

"Sorry Bull's-eye," He chuckled in between pants, "But how could I possibly disappoint my fans?"

He brought himself into a sturdy defensive position, as Bull's-eye recovered and got back to his feet. Bull's-eye charged full-force, pulling back a fist aimed right at his head. But instead of making contact, it soared through open air, as it's target side-stepped at the last second. A fist connected with Bull's-eyes ribs, throwing him off balance. A knee slammed hard into his chest, before a blow to the back of his head forced him to succumb to darkness's embrace.

A referee cam running up beside the two, counting off as loud as he could to be heard over the din of the crowd. As soon as he screamed "10", he grabbed the dark haired man's arm and hoisted it high over his head.

"HE'S DONE IT AGAIN FOLKS!" The announcer bellowed at the top of his lungs in absolute hysterics, "ACE 'HARDTACK' COOPER HAS MADE HISTORY AND WON HIS FIFTH CONSECUTIVE CHAMPIONSHIP TITLE!"

The entire crowd leapt to their feet in single motion, chanting the name of the victor over and over again to the night sky, in one unified voice that drowned out all others. Ace turned to the crowd, and raised both arms to them as they continued to chant his name, before walking over to kneel next to Bull's-eye.

"Come on Johnathan," Ace chuckled lightly, "I know for a fact I didn't hit you that hard."

"J'us trying ta' give ya' some time in the spotlight," Bull's-eye said opening his one good eye, and accepting Ace's outstretched hand, "An' ya know better than ta' call me that."

"The fight's over," Ace said having his friend to his feet, "And I'd like to not sound like some masked wrestler if that's alright with you."

"An we both know it wouldn'ta last half as long if ya'd been even halfway tryin' ta' beat me," Bull's-eye said jabbing Ace in his already aching ribs.

Ace gave a steep bow of mock gratitude at the very thought, earning him a headlock under the larger man's arm. As the two limped off the stage, Ace caught a fragment of a conversation from one of the fans behind the cement barriers.

"Ya' got at' see yer ruddy fight, now let's get goin' fer the Dark Lord knows where we went!"

"Calm down ya' bloody pixie! It's just a museum! I don't even know what He'd want with a couple a old books anyway…"

Ace's head swiveled around as best it could locked under Bull's-eye's arm, as he tried to catch a glimpse of whoever had been speaking. A cold chill, quickly followed by a burning sensation in the pit of his stomach lurched once, as he pried himself out from under his friend's grip.

"Whasamatter?" Bull's-eye asked as Ace stood looking into the crowd, "That nurse'll be awful sore if ya' don't get checked out 'fore ya' go running off somewhere."

"I think I'll live," Ace said still scanning the crowd, "You know any way out of here where I won't get mobbed?"

"Sure, out past the old Platform next ta' the loo, there's an entrance ta' the alley. Used for rubbish mostly, but it'll get ya' outta here."

"Thanks pal," Ace said making off with Bull's-eye's directions, "Be sure to tell Lizeth I'll catch her next time."

"Your funeral mate!" Bull's-eye called after him, "Your funeral…"

--

A blanket of silence accompanied the dark shadows that seemed to extend from every pot and wax figure that adorned the halls of the museum. Ancient tablets on loan from the Cairo museum had just arrived earlier that day from their last stay at the Domino Museum. Pictures of Egyptian kings, and fiendish monsters stared down from their hangings, as two figures crept about in the darkness. They came to stop next to an old, crumbling tome and set to work opening the glass case.

"Can we 'urry up an get this over wit'?" One nervous voice whispered, "'Ere's black magic in this stuff…I can feel it…"

"Aw..Get off it…It's just a load a rubbish, not somethin' ta be scared of. All the Dark Lord wants is Is' books and then we're off."

"Is that what you think?"

The two whipped around to see who had spoken, but their eyes only met with the suffocating darkness. They pulled something out from their clothes, and held it loftily in front of them, as their eyes flitted about the room.

"I mean, come on," The voice chided from the shadows, "Surely there are other avenues of thievery open besides robbing a museum? Besides, you're only putting yourselves at risk. Stealing from a museum's like robbing the tomb itself…"

"_Lumos!" _One of the men yelled. A bright light suddenly lit the tip of his wand, highlighting the fear on their faces.

The two turned around in tight circles, straining to see past the light's edge and into the waiting shadows. Their eyes flicked from artifact to artifact, never lingering on any one as now the very carvings seemed to move with life of their own.

"If I were you…" The voice called in a sing-song way, as a shadow rushed by in the darkness, "I would get out of here while you can…."

"_Stupefy!"_ The other man bellowed as a flash of light erupted from his wand and crashed into the area where he'd seen the movement.

"A little slow…" The voice chuckled.

"We're warning you!" One yelled into the darkness, even though his voice was quaking with fear, "We're Dark Wizards!"

The sound of laughter echoed eerily throughout the hall, reverberating off of the exhibits, and making it sound like it was coming from several places at once.

"Dark wizards?" The voice scoffed, unable to keep the amusement out of its tone, "Look around you, you fools! You are standing in a room that depicts some of the most powerful 'dark wizards' the world has ever known! These men weren't cowards who hid in the shadow, no, they commanded it! Bent the darkness to their will! And you think because you can wave that stick around, that makes you 'dark wizards'?"

The two were now frantically backing up. They nearly had their backs against a wall, when out of the darkness behind them, two cerulean eyes gazed out of the shadows, a breath away from their terrified faces.

"You two are nothing."

The two spun on a dime, lashing out with their wands. But before either could utter a spell, a foot connected with one, and sent him flying into a stone pillar. The other scrambled backwards, as his foe began to advance.

"_I-Impedimenta!"_ He screamed_._

The spell erupted from his wand, at the advancing figure, locked onto its target. But a sudden flourish accompanied by the sound of rasping metal, deflected the spell and sent it crashing into the roof. The man fell over onto the ground still trying to scrabble away, when the point of a sword rested itself at the nape of his neck.

"Who are you working for?" The figure asked calmly

"Th-th-the Dark Lord.."

"There have been many throughout the ages," The figure said easily, pressing the blade a little closer, "Perhaps you could be more specific?"

"V-Voldermort! Please don't kill me!"

"Humph." The figure huffed, before striking the man with the flat of the blade.

The man crumpled into an unconscious heap, as Ace strode out of the shadows, sheathing the sword on his back. He glanced briefly at the two unconscious men, before dragging them both together in a heap.

"How pathetic." He scoffed, before turning to look at the tome the men had wanted to steal, "Those idiots have no idea the kind of power they were about to unleash….."

"Although I'm fairly certain their leader does," A new voice said behind Ace.

Ace spun around, to come face-to-face with an old man wearing a set of odd purple robes and half-moon spectacles. His withered hands were held up in a gesture of peace, as he quietly observed Ace.

"And who are you?" Ace asked, narrowing his eyes, "And am I going to have to add you to this pile?"

"No, no. I'm sure that won't be necessary," The old man chuckled lightly, "Please allow me to introduce myself. I am Albus Dumbledore, Headmaster of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry."

Ace found himself raising a disbelieving eyebrow, and folding his arms across his chest.

"Ace Cooper," Ace said suspiciously, "So Mr. Headmaster…Just what is it you're doing in an Egyptian exhibit this late at night?"

"I have come to offer you a job."

--

Gotc: Welll? Did you like?! I hope so!! I made his one extra-long to make up for the suck-ish chappie last time! I hope you all enjoyed it and I'll be posting again soon! Please R&R to tell me what you think!


	3. Of Letters and Owls

Gotc: So…..happy……

Ace: An hour after her last post ten people favorited this story. And someone else reviewed.

Gotc: People…read…..

Ace: It's going to take a while for her to be able to form complete sentences….a very long while. So while the whale rattles off the disclaimer, I'm going to the store for party favors. Have fun.

Squeaky: Squeak! (Don't forget the little wienies! And no ownage here, 'cept Ace. But you knew that.)

Gotc: Viewers…..happy…..

Ace: Yes, good for you. Now go lie down before you hurt yourself. Viewers, get to reading and have fun and all that. Oh by the way: /yugi to yami, (bakura to yami bakura), Malik to Marik.

--

_Harry Potter and the Order of the Rising Dragon_

CHAPTER 2: Of Owls and Letters

"So it's all agreed then?" Dumbledore said adjusting his glasses as he and Ace broke out onto the roof, "I'll have transportation arranged to bring you to Hogwarts before the beginning of the term."

"That won't be necessary," Ace said waving his hand, "I'll manage well enough on my own."

"Are you quite certain? Normal forms of muggle transportation are disabled by several charms surrounding the school…"

"Don't worry," Ace chuckled, "I'll get there."

Dumbledore gave a curt bow to Ace, and straightened his spectacles on his nose. The man had taken the news a lot better than he'd expected. Most muggles would have been needing therapy after learning there was a whole other world hiding just under their noses. Much less that their existence was being threatened by a Dark Wizard bent on wiping out any of non-magical blood. Ace had taken it all in stride.

_Flashback:_

"_So let me get this straight." Ace said rubbing the bridge of his nose, "You run a school responsible for training young witches and wizards, but outside of this school, your students aren't allowed to use magic?"_

"_It is a precaution our Ministry has in place against our discovery by muggles," Dumbledore said_

"_And muggles are those who can't use magic, right?" Ace clarified_

"_That is correct."_

"_Ok, that's believable enough I guess," Ace sighed, "Now what about this Volder-guy. Those two thieves said something about him."_

"_He is a Dark Wizard responsible for the deaths of hundreds of wizards and muggles over the years," Dumbledore said simply, "He disappeared about 15 years ago after he tried to murder a family of wizards. Only a young boy by the name of Harry Potter survived."_

_Ace's eyes clouded for a brief moment with a storm of emotions, that passed to quickly for Dumbledore to be sure it had even happened in the first place. _

"_And now he's back," Ace summed up._

"_Precisely. Potter now attends our school, and has been the subject of Voldermort's attacks for several years now."_

"_How has he been going after the kid if he's been dead?"_

"_Voldermort's survived more or less as a spirit," Dumbledore explained, "Through his existing network of followers he managed to linger. This summer he finally managed to obtain a new body, which was witnessed by Potter."_

"_So why do you need me? Why not alert your wizarding community?" Ace asked, "I'm fairly certain they won't be too happy you've told me so much after they've tried to keep this whole magic thing under wraps."_

"_I doubt there's much I can do these days that will upset them any more than I already have," Dumbledore sighed, "Unfortunately, Lord Voldermort has his connections within our Ministry and they've worked hard to discredit our claims. They don't want to believe he is back."_

"_I still don't get what the big deal is," Ace said rubbing the back of his head, "You guys know how to use magic. I'm a….what'd you call it? A muggle?"_

"_Like you said, our Ministry does not allow underage wizards to use any magic outside of Hogwarts," Dumbledore reasoned, "I feel they should learn a different form of self-defence, one our Ministry can't regulate."_

"_You're a bit of a trouble-maker for an old man," Ace laughed, "Alright, why not? I'll take the job. I've never been one to obey authority. But I suggest we leave, 'cause I do believe that 'authority' is outside responding to this burglary attempt…."_

_End Flashback_

Dumbledore shook Ace's hand lightly, with a warm smile. Now he had one wall up against the Ministry.

"Then I shall see you at the start of the term, _Professor_." Dumbledore chuckled lightly before Disapparating with a 'crack'.

Ace raised an eyebrow, and shook his head with a weary sigh. What an interesting night this had turned out to be. He looked up at the clear evening sky above him, as two topaz eyes lit up in the shadows behind him.

"**And what was all that about?**" A deep voice rumbled behind Ace.

"You'll never believe it my friend…" Ace chuckled, "But I'm going to be a teacher…."

--

Half-way across the globe, dawn was breaking over the horizon at the Muto residence. A coffee-pot stirred to life, rousing Solomon Muto from his sleep with it's promise of hot caffeine. However, it's tantalizing sound and smell had yet to work its way to the second floor of the shop owner's home, where the fabled King of Games was turning restlessly in his sleep.

He tossed back and forth, with the sheets clutched tight in his fists. Light groans escaped his lips, as his face contorted in unison with his dream….

_He'd been here before….He knew he had… The runes inscribed on the alabaster walls were all-too familiar to be a simple case of deja-vu. He let his feel carry him through the scrambled maze of stone, all the while unable to escape the haunting voice cackling in his ear…_

Yugi's amethyst eyes flared open, as he sat upright with a start. His normally spiky tri-colored hair was limp and drenched with cold sweat. He rubbed a hand over his face, trying to calm his breathing. It had been the same dream now every night for a month…well, not him exactly…_Yami_ had been having the same dream every night for a month, and it was strong enough that it was bleeding through their link.

/_Yawn……Yami? You awake yet?/_

/_Yes Aibou, I'm awake./ _Yugi couldn't help but notice the exhaustion in his darker half's voice.

/_That dream's been keeping you up Yami/_

_/And you as well it seems/ _Yami said appearing incorporeally next to Yugi on the bed.

/_It's been a month and we still don't have any idea why we've been having this same dream…/_ Yugi sighed.

_/Perhaps it's a sign of some sort…/_

_/Ummm….Yami? I think the lack of sleep is starting to get to me…/_

_/Why do you say that?/_

_/Because there's an owl sitting at the foot of my bed./_

Yami turned a bleary eye towards the foot of Yugi's bed. Sure enough, a small tawny owl was lightly perched on the footboard. Yami rubbed his eyes as best as a spirit could, and opened them again. The little owl was still there, and was clutching a thick letter in one of it's talons.

/_Yugi. I think it's for you./_

Yugi rolled his eyes and reached out to take the letter from the owl. It gave a little hoot as he took it, and looked expectantly up at Yugi. He blinked once and looked dumbfounded at the little bird who stared unblinkingly at him.

/_I think it's hungry Aibou./ _Yami pointed out.

Yugi looked around his room for something to give to the bird. He thought for a moment about going downstairs to scrounge up something, but decided that he'd rather not deal with questions as to why he was bringing breakfast to an owl. His eyes fell on the remains on an old sandwich, so he broke off a corner of the stale bread and offered it to the owl. The bird gave a little hoot before pecking at the stale crust, and in no time at all had devoured the whole thing.

_/Perhaps you should open your letter./ _Yami suggested.

Yugi looked at the fat letter in his hand and turned it over. The parchment crinkled in his hand as he peered at the delicate lettering on the front:

**Mister Yugi Muto**

**The Kame Game Shop**

**Upstairs Bedroom**

**Domino City**

**Japan**

Yugi reread the address a few more times, just to make sure he'd read it all correctly.

/_How'd they know where I live?/_

_/Everyone knows where the King of Games lives Aibou./_

_/Yeah, but it's even listed my bedroom too! Weird./_

Yugi flipped the letter over and pealed open the wax seal. He pulled out several sheets of parchment and read the first one with an upturned eyebrow.

**HOGWARTS SCHOOL OF WITCHCRAFT AND WIZARDRY**

**Headmaster: Albus Dumbledore**

**Dear Mister Muto,**

**We are pleased to inform you that you have been accepted to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Please find enclosed a list of all necessary books and equipment. Due to your age you will be starting in your fifth year here at Hogwarts. Due to your distance from the King's Cross station in London, transportation will be arranged to transport you to lodgings in the London area one week before the start of the term.**

**Term begins on 1 September. We await your reply by owl no later than 31 July**

**Yours sincerely,**

**Minerva McGonagall**

**Deputy Headmistress**

"Is this a joke?" Yugi asked looking at the owl still waiting patiently on his foot board.

The only reply he received was an indifferent hoot, as the little owl continued to watch the spiky-haired teen with interest. The little bird took of and lighted on a little desktop calendar and pecked at the wax bindings. Yugi glanced at the date and saw it was July 31st. He looked at Yami, as if searching for answers.

/_The letter said I had to reply by today. What do you think I should do? Do you think this is a joke?/_

_/I don't think so hikari/ _Yami mused looking the owl in the eyes, /_I feel this creature far too intelligent for all of this to be some kind of hoax. That letter has some kind of magical residue all over it. This may have something to do with the Millennium Items… It may not be a bad idea to attend if they could teach us more about how to control it's power…/_

Yugi shrugged and rummaged around in the desk next to his bed and scribbled a quick note saying he would accept, then looked at the owl with a puzzled expression.

"So do I tie this on or-" Yugi started, before the owl snatched the note out of his hand and flew out of his open window and into the distance.

/_That was….strange./ _Yugi blinked, before a thought struck him, /_Do you think the other Item Holders have gotten something like this?/_

--

(_YANDOUSHI! WAKE UP!_)

Ryou sat straight up in bed and cracked his head on the low ceiling his bed was recessed into, and fell onto the floor with a thump. It took him a moment to untangle himself from his sheets, and the throbbing in his head wasn't helping much.

(_Yandoushi! There's a flying rat that just came through your window!) _Bakura yelled through the mental link.

(_What are you talking about Bakura?! There's no such thing as flying rats!)_

_(Then what is that _thing_ sitting on you ceiling fan?) _Bakura demanded pointing at the little creature hooting indignantly from the ceiling.

Ryou looked up at the owl perched his fan, when a letter fell onto the floor in front of him. Ryou gingerly picked it up and looked it over once, not quite sure what to do with it. Bakura settled next to him, staring hard at the parchment envelope.

(_There's a good deal of magic in this…) _Bakura said at last, not looking away.

(_Should I open it? I mean look at the address, it's even got what room I'm in!)_

_(There's nothing dangerous about it….It's just got an odd feeling about it. I can't quite place it.)_

_(The great Thief King Bakura stumped by a mere letter?) _Ryou chuckled

(_Just open it.)_

Ryou sighed but opened the letter and scanned it once, then again just to make sure he wasn't suffering any ill-effects from his bump on the head.

(_I think I'm going to call Yugi.)_

_(And for once, I don't think I'm going to complain.)_

_--_

" _ISHIZU!" _Malik's voice echoed though the tunnels of the ancient tomb.

An owl came flapping like mad out of one room and zoomed out into the hall as fast as its wings woukd carry it. Only a second behind it, Malik came barreling out waving the Millennium Rod in the air, his face a furious shade of red. Ishizu burst into the hall, as the owl flew straight into her arms, hooting in terror.

"Malik!" She chided, trying to get a firm hold on the flapping bird, "What did you do to this poor thing?!"

"_I_ didn't do a thing!" Malik bellowed, lunging for the owl with the knife point of the Rod, "That thing got into my room, and dropped a bomb on the Rod!"

Ishizu stepped out of the way of her brother, and he ran smack into Odion who had stepped out into the hall to see what all the commotion had been about. She gently stroked the top of the owls head, as it hooted contently in her hand.

"Malik, now how pray tell did an owl get into your room in the first place?" She said calmly, "As we live several feet _underground_, I'm sure it didn't just fly down here."

"Maybe it came in through the air vents!" Malik protested, untangling himself from Odion, "But that thing just came in and crapped right on the Rod!"

"So this bird flew all the way here just to relieve itself on your Item?" Ishizu said rolling her eyes, "And what were you doing up so late anyway?"

"Finishing some translations," Malik admitted, "That stuff they dug up from that new tomb two years ago. It's in a different dialect and being really stubborn to make sense of. Like I said, I was working and when I looked up that bird was sitting on the Rod and just went everywhere!"

"It looks like it dropped a letter," Odion pointed out , waving a hand back down the hall.

Malik looked back and sure enough, there was a parchment letter laying on the dusty floor. He cast another hateful glare at the owl, before reaching down to pick up the letter. An odd look passed over his face as he looked at the front of it, then broke the seal and pulled out the letter.

_What does it say?_ A voice echoed in his head.

_It says I've been invited to some school for magic users._ Malik grinned, _And Ishizu said that bird didn't fly down here on purpose._

--

Seto was sound asleep, for once enjoying a morning where he wasn't being bombarded with staff meetings or stupid questions from inept employees. And after that last fiasco with the shipping companies screwing up his last parts shipment for the new duel disk modifications, he needed the break. It had taken over a week to sort out, and the delay meant he wouldn't get the parts for another month at least.

So the fact he was able to just lay in bed for a few extra minutes, was absolute heaven….but since when did heaven have owls?

--

Gotc: Ok, I know I skimped on some char's reactions to their letters, but it'll all even out I swear! And I hope that I got the letter format right…

Ace: Wow….you're putting words together into an actual sentences.

Gotc: Yep, and that's all possible because my jaw isn't broken like yours.

Ace: My jaw isn't…..GET AWAY FROM ME WITH THAT BAT!!

Gotc: Please review everyone and give me your opinion while I go and break Ace's face! Catch ya next time!


	4. Back Alley Fairytales

Gotc: Howdy everyone! Well, to some of authors out there 8 reviews may not be much, but I must say that all of us here at Disclaimers Inc. are absolutely thrilled!

Ace: -blows on a party horn- Yay.

Gotc: You're a real spot of sunshine aren't you?

Ace: I try. Don't you have a chapter to write or something?

Gotc: -Gasp- You're right! -punts Ace into the fic- PLACES EVERYONE! SQUEAKY!

Squeaky: Squeak! (Nope sorry, the takeover is still in the planning stages. You'll have to content yourselves with Ace for now!)

Gotc: Shhush! No one must know about my takeover plans to rule the world! And now to distract you, THE NEXT CHAPPIE!!

--

_Harry Potter and the Order of the Rising Dragon_

CHAPTER 3: Back Alley Fairytales 

Yugi was till staring out the window, when his grandfather's voice spoke on the other side of his door.

"Yugi?" He said, poking his grey head into the room, "Are you up already?"

"Yeah Grandpa," Yugi said glancing out the window for just one more moment before bringing himself back to the real world, "I'm ok, but I think I still have a problem."

"Oh?" His grandfather joked, coming in and sitting down on Yugi's bed, "Another evil villain after the Puzzle?"

Yugi's hand unconsciously drifted to rest on the puzzle. He'd had enough memories of some lunatic bent on world domination come after him and his friends and family to last him a lifetime. Even joking about it was hard to do.

"Not quite," Yugi said managing a small grin, before he picked up the letter, "An owl delivered a letter this morning saying I had been accepted to some school for wizards in England. Do you think it could be because of the Millennium Items?"

"Could I see that letter?" His grandpa asked holding out his hand.

Yugi watched as Solomon's brow furrowed in a mix of confusion and deep thought while he read through the letter. There was no hint of surprise anywhere on his grandpa's face at all, since this kind of thing just seemed to happen to Yugi almost on a regular basis. After all, how normal could someone expect their life to be when they shared a body with a 3000 year old Egyptian spirit?

"I thought at first it was just some kind of hoax," Yugi said after a few moments of uncomfortable silence, "But Yami said he felt some kind of magic in the letter. He thought it might not be a bad idea to go to maybe learn how to control the Puzzle better…"

"You know, I think I agree with him," Solomon said at last, "It certainly couldn't hurt to learn a thing or two!"

A small wave of relief swept over Yugi, although he wasn't entirely sure why. It wasn't that he never expected him to say no. Ever since he'd solved the Puzzle, his grandfather had actually been encouraging him to do more things like this, as if Yugi would crawl back into his shell again. There was a small chuckle somewhere in his head, and Yugi agreed with it. There was no chance he would ever go back to those days now.

The phone rang, snapping him abruptly out of his thoughts. He reached over to his desk and picked it up, before whoever was on the other line hung up.

"Game Shop," Yugi said, stifling a yawn.

"Yugi, it's Ryou," Came the familiar voice of his friend through the reciever, "You haven't received any….strange mail lately have you?"

"Would getting a letter delivered by an owl count?" Yugi asked.

"So you got one too?" Ryou's voice almost sounded relieved, "I don't know if this is some kind of joke, do you?"

"Yami doesn't seem think so," Yugi said, "And it seems a little elaborate to all just be some kind of joke."

"That's what Bakura said," Ryou mused, "Could it have something to do with the Items?"

"It seems like too much of a coincidence not to be related," Yugi sighed, "Have you heard from Malik?"

"No, it's still pretty early there in Egypt," Ryou admitted, "I'll try to call him though and see if he got one of these too, then I'll head over to your place."

"Sounds good," Yugi said, hanging up, "I'll see you then."

/_So the Tomb Robber got one too…/_

/_What are you thinking?/_

_/…./_

_/Yami?/_

_/Nothing Aibou./_

_/I'll find out eventually./_

_/Heh. Don't I know…/_

Twenty minutes later, the doorbell rang, as Yugi was finishing up a piece of toast. Yugi was just about to unlatch the door, when he heard an angry voice yell on the other side.

"YUGI! OPEN THIS DOOR!"

/_It would seem our good friend Kaiba has received an invitation as well./_

_/Be nice Yami./_

_/Trust me. That is being nice…/_

Yugi shook his head, and unlatched the door, allowing a furious Kaiba to come barging through, clutching a crumpled piece of parchment in one fist. Yugi could just make out through the creases, the same school crest that had adorned his own letter. Behind him, Ryou peeked past the door with an apologetic look on his face.

/_An interesting hue of red he's discovered./ _Yami chuckled, observing Kaiba as he continued to rant to no one in particular.

Yugi ignored his darker half, and shut the door behind his two guests. Ryou was rubbing his ear, as he must have caught a part of Kaiba's wrath on his way over.

"I'm sorry Yugi," Ryou apologized, "I didn't mean to drag him along too."

"It's alright," Yugi laughed, quietly "If he got a letter too, then I guess it's better that we all talk now. Did you get a hold of Malik?"

"No I-"

"YUGI!" Kaiba roared, "WHICH ONE OF YOU LITTLE GROUP FOR LOST CAUSES SET THIS UP?!"

"Kaiba, I don't think it was-"

"WAS IT WHEELER? OR WAS IT ONE OF YOUR OTHER SCHIZO FRIENDS?!"

"KAIBA!" Yugi yelled to get the raving CEO's attention, "We all got the same letters too. Both me and Ryou."

Kaiba turned his cold eyes on the two, glaring at them fiercely as if he didn't believe them. Yugi pulled out his own letter and showed him as proof. Kaiba looked it over a few times and compared it to his own letter. After a moment he seemed to decide that it at least wasn't anyone they knew behind the letters and calmed down a bit.

"Alright, so let's assume for the sake of argument, that this isn't a joke. Would someone like to explain to me why I woke up to an owl on my bed this morning?" He asked rubbing the bridge of his nose, "And why it was carrying this letter?"

Yugi opened his mouth to speak, but before he could, he felt a tingle run up his spine. He was all too familiar with the feeling, and wasn't surprised to hear the rough voice of the Thief King speak, rather than his friend.

"It must have something to do with your past connections to the Items, Priest," Bakura said, folding his arms, "The Tomb Keeper may have the Rod now, but some of your spells used to be a real pain in my-"

"How many times do I have to explain this to you?!" Kaiba barked, trying to keep some semblance of his composure, "There. Is. No. Such. Thing. As. Magic."

The words were hardly out of the CEO's mouth, when a deafening "CRACK" interrupted their conversation. Yugi tripped over a footstool and landed on his back, while Bakura fell onto the couch. Kaiba, however hardly batted an eye, as he looked at their new visitor.

She was wearing a set of emerald green robes, and a pair of thin looking glasses. Her hair was drawn up into a tight bun, while a tall hat the same color as her robes sat perched atop her head. She observed the three quietly for a moment, even locking eyes with Kaiba, scrutinizing him while he assaulted her with his patented glare.

"Oooohhh….My stomach…" Moaned a familiar voice from beside the woman.

"Malik!" Yugi yelled in surprise and rushed over to help his friend to his feet.

The Egyptian looked awful, his normally tanned face was nearly the color of Bakura's hair, and he looked like he was about to be violently ill. Yugi grabbed the nearest garbage can and offered it to his friend moments before he emptied the contents of his stomach into it.

"Who the hell are you?!" Bakura demanded angrily of the woman, over the sound of Malik's distress, "And what did you do to him?!"

Yugi stole a glance at the yami next to him. Bakura looked like he was about to call something from the Shadow Realm, or send her to meet it. Although she didn't exactly seem like the type to be intimidated, by something like that. He had to bite back a laugh, as a certain Pharaoh's thought drifted through his mind about her and Kaiba being related.

"Oh you're friend will be just fine," She said in a completely no-nonsense tone, "Side-Along Apparation doesn't tend to agree well with first-timers."

"That still doesn't tell us _who_ you are," Kaiba pointed out with a grumble, "And just what gave you the right to come barging in here."

"Like you did?" Bakura scoffed, earning him his own glare.

"My name is Minerva McGonagall," The woman said straightening her robes and hat with a quick tug on each, "Deputy Headmistress of Hogwarts School for Witchcraft and Wizardry. I've come to help you all understand just what's going on with your acceptance to our school."

"You're the one who sent us these letters," Yugi said recognizing the name.

"Indeed I am," McGonagall said actually taking a good look at the others in the room. When she had gone to fetch Malik Ishtar, she had been slightly taken aback by the wild nature of his pale blonde hair. She had simply dismissed it as an effect of the harsh Egyptian sun, but now she was left with no explanation for the two in front of her now.

The one that was glaring at her had hair so white, it could have belonged to one of the ghosts that haunted the halls of the school, and the other…There was really no comparing it. Red, black,_ and_ yellow? Perhaps he had a Metamorphmagus in the family and wasn't aware of it. At any rate, that hair could certainly give Tonks a run for her money…

"Yes," Yugi replied before she could ask the obvious question, "It's natural. I do use some gel on the bangs to keep then out of my face though."

"Some?" Bakura scoff under his breath.

"If you two idiots are through," Kaiba interrupted, "I for one would like to find out what she has to say about this fairytale school of hers."

"I can assure you _Mr. Kaiba_," McGonagall said icily, "That our school is very real, and could hardly be considered a 'fairytale'."

"Don't be offended," Malik said finally regaining some control over his stomach, "If Kaiba's involved and it has to do with magic, it's a fairytale."

Kaiba's eyes flashed dangerously as he shot a glare in Malik's direction. The gesture didn't go unseen by Yugi, and he quickly piped up, hoping to diffuse the situation before someone found themselves in the Shadow Realm.

"You said you came to explain about your school," Yugi said trying to relive some tension.

"That I did," McGonagall agreed, "The letters you received earlier today, explained most of it, that our Ministry recognizes you four as potential magic users, and would request that you attend our school to learn how to control your ability."

"Why England though?" Bakura huffed, "I mean, I can see Malik here going, but isn't there a school for this sort of thing here in Japan?"

"There is," McGonagall admitted, "However, Hogwarts is one of the best in the world at training young wizards…Of course, there is another reason we've asked you to join our school. This summer, we had been alerted to the return of one of our history's most notorious Dark Wizards. We have ample reason to believe that he may be after you four for some unknown reason."

Yugi and the others exchanged the briefest of glances. It wasn't the first time they'd heard something like this.

"Hogwarts could provide you all with security, as well as help you to learn more about your abilities," She continued without pause, "As well as extend that same protection to the rest of your families."

"So why now?" Malik asked.

"Why now what?"

"Why are we just getting these letters now?" Malik clarified, "It said that we were going to be in our fifth year at this school. Why didn't we get these letters before?"

"Unfortunately," the Headmistress sighed, "We were not alerted to your presence until very recently. We aren't quite sure why, but there seems to be something about the four of you that kept you from our detection for so long."

"So much for your 'magic' then," Kaiba snorted.

McGonagall turned on her heel, and felt a small smile cross her tightly pursed lips, as she pulled out her wand and pointed it at the cell phone on Kaiba's belt. The young CEO never even flinched, but she could have sworn she'd detected the tiniest trace of concern flash through his cold blue eyes.

"_Res Rei Verto!"_ She snapped, and Kaiba suddenly jumped, as he felt something move where his phone should have been.

A thin green lizard looked up at him with coal black eyes, before scurrying down his pants leg, and across the floor. Satisfied with her demonstration, McGonagall pointed her wand back at the lizard, as it reached the center of the room.

"_Finite Incantatum!"_ She said with a flick of her wrist, and the tiny creature abruptly turned black, before curling up into a tight ball and reformed into the familiar shape of a phone.

The four teens stared at the now still phone with gaping mouths, unable to grasp all of what had just taken place in a short fifteen seconds. In the end, it was Bakura who managed to find his tongue first.

"Well Kaiba," He said slowly, "How's that for pulling a rabbit out of a hat?"

--

Gotc: Sorry for the wait on this chapter folks! I hope you all enjoyed it though!

Ace: Of course I did! I wasn't in it!

Gotc: And you wonder why I take such delight in making your existence miserable….Anyway, R&R for me so I know how I'm doing! And I'll be sure to catch you all in my next chappie!


	5. TwoFaced

Gotc: Dear God…what's it been? A month?

Ace: Roughly.

Gotc: Great. Sorry people, I got a new job, and it's kinda had me thrown off my game. My new boss has me doing surgeries (don't get me wrong, I'm way happy about that), but when you're trying to make sure a cat doesn't wake up while the doc is removing its claws, it tends to stress ya out a little.

Ace: Thanks for the image, excuse me while I go hit my head against a wall until I lose consciousness…

Gotc: They have pills for that now. Anyway, I think you all have waited long enough for this so….SQUEAKY!!

Squeaky: Squeak. (What was I supposed to be doing again? Oh yeah, J.K. owns Harry, Takahashi owns Yugi, Gotc owns Ace.)

Gotc: Yep! Off to chappie-land now!

--

_Harry Potter and the Order of the Rising Dragon_

CHAPTER FOUR: Two-Faced

Ace was sick of owls. There had been no fewer than eleven owls all crowding and hooting, among other things, in his tiny room, coming and going at all hours of the day and night. The floor was strewn with feathers, droppings, and the bones of tiny dismembered creatures that cracked unpleasantly underfoot. He'd tried shutting the window, but somehow they managed to find their way inside anyway. In the end, Ace had resigned to leaving it open, since it kept the room bearably cool in the heat of the summer, and the owls kept coming in a steady stream. Each time one flew in, they brought some kind of package, such as a newspaper or maybe a book or two, many of which were piled on the rickety table that occupied one corner of the room. On top of the heap, was a thick book, _Hogwarts: A History,_ with a letter sticking out of its pages that had been folded and unfolded so many times, that it was ready to fall apart.

An all too familiar rustle of wings caught Ace's attention, as he was inverted in a one-armed handstand. He'd been locked in that position for hours now, with only a thin sheen of sweat covering his tanned skin. His torso was bare, with only a thin silver chain hanging around his neck, while a multitude of scars, marred flesh, and patches of stitched smooth skin criss-crossed his entire body. Each told a story he had committed to memory, the worst being a deep gash that ran from the inner joint of his right shoulder almost to his hip on his left side. The only place on him that a scar couldn't be seen, was where a wide bandage of plaster and tape held his bruised ribs in place.

He cast an irritated eye upward, as a new weight lighted on his foot. Two wide brown eyes stared unblinkingly back at him and gave a soft hoot.

"Alright alright," Ace grumbled, flipping deftly back onto his feet, as the owl flapped to his bedpost.

He grabbed his shirt and pulled it over his head, before attending to the owl patiently waiting for him. He filled a shallow bowl with some water and set it down on the nightstand next to the bird.. As the bird hopped down to drink, Ace untied the scroll from its leg, and sat down on the bed to read it.

_I'll be sending you someone to help you get ready. _

_-Albus Dumbledore_

Ace read it again and flipped the small scrap of parchment over, in a vain attempt to see if there was anything else written. He gave an irritated sigh, and looked up at the owl still gulping water.

"I don't suppose you know _when_ these people are going to come?" He asked the owl, before it flew out the window in a flurry of feathers, "No, I didn't think so."

Ace walked over to the window and leaned on the sill, looking down onto the street below. A couple of cars went by and an occasional pedestrian scurried from shadow to shadow, trying to avoid the worst of the summer heat. At that moment, Ace would have given almost anything to go outside, heat or not, if only to stretch his body and shake off the restlessness that had been growing over the last two weeks. But the rational side of him argued against it. He was in unfamiliar territory, working with a group of people he knew very little about, and he had most likely upset a very powerful wizard by foiling that robbery of the Egyptian exhibit. While he would have almost welcomed a good fight, he knew it wasn't wise to go looking for trouble…at least not until he knew a little more about what he was dealing with.

A sudden pop behind him, had Ace wheeling around in a defensive position to face his intruder. Two hooded figures stood in the center of the room, one slightly taller than the other.

"Lower your fists boy!" A gruff voice said, before lowering his hood, "We're hear on Dumbledore's behalf. Didn't you get the owl?"

Ace narrowed his eyes, but didn't relax his stance as he looked his new guests over. The shorter of the two seemed to be sizing him up too, but with one eye that rotated unnaturally in a man-made socket. The other dropped his hood as well, revealing his pale and gaunt features.

"Ace Cooper I presume?" The taller man asked.

"Yeah," Ace said guarded, "Who are you?"

"Alastor Moody and Remus Lupin," The man with the magical eye said, then after a moment added, "You're taller than Dumbledore described you."

"I'll take that as a compliment…" Ace said lowering his fists, but never took his eyes off of the two, "I guess you're the ones Dumbledore said he was sending to help me get read for the year."

"That's correct," Lupin nodded, "He sends his apologies that he wasn't able to accompany us today, but he had some more pressing business to attend to."

"I saw…Something about that Harry Potter kid, I'm guessing?" Ace recalled, having read some article in one of the newspapers that had been delivered.

"Aye," Moody said scanning the room, "What made you take up here in the Leaky Cauldron? The place isn't exactly hospitable."

"Not sure," Ace shrugged, "Shady places are usually the best spots to pick up some good information. And it seemed like there were a bunch of odd folks coming through here."

Moody looked up at Lupin with a satisfied smirk on his grizzled face, before starting to pull out several small flasks from the folds of his robes.

"I like this one already," Moody said, "Good instincts, and thinks with his head."

Ace raised an eyebrow. These were the "help" Dumbledore had sent him? What kind of school did this guy run?

"Look, not to be rude or anything," Ace interrupted, "But how exactly are you guys supposed to help me?"

"You need someone to teach you the ropes," Moody said shoving one of the flasks into Ace's hands, "Lupin and I were both teachers at Hogwarts at one point. Or supposed to be at least."

"Uh-huh…" Ace said, eyeing the contents of the flagon in his hand. The liquid, if you could call it that, moved with the sluggish consistency of mud and smelled like rotten meat and old socks. "And what about this stuff?"

"You drink it," Lupin said grabbing another one of the flasks, "We're going to be headed to get some supplies, and muggles aren't exactly allowed."

"How's this going to help then?" Ace said, not really wanting to drink the stuff, "Is it going to give me magical powers?"

"Only one way to find out isn't there?" Moody chuckled, taking a swig of his own flask.

Ace eyed the liquid one last time, before putting the edge to his lips and tipping the flask to down a mouthful of the stuff. He had to fight down the overwhelming urge to spit the stuff out again. It tasted even worse than it smelled, and he was certain anything he ate for weeks would taste the same. He managed at last to force it down his throat, all the while keeping the bile in his stomach from bringing it back up. He leaned forward and put his hands on his knees, trying to regain some control over the waves of nausea that kept washing over him. Thankfully, it didn't last long, and he felt the nausea begin to subside, only to be replaced by a strange bubbly feeling that was rapidly spreading to the rest of his body. He looked down at his hands, and watched in horror, as the flesh seemed to boil and reform as if it were made of clay. The scars on his arms vanished, and when he managed to look into the mirror, he was nearly sick again. His face looked as if there were dozens of tiny creatures scurrying just under the skin. His cold cerulean eyes became a warm brown, his hard angular features softened, and his midnight colored hair shrank back to a shorter length and turned a dusty brown.

Ace squinted hard at his reflection, not quite believing that the face he saw looking back at him from the mirror was his own. He flexed his hands a few times, turned around, and pulled at the skin in his face, hoping that maybe the man in the mirror would do something different.

"Quite an odd feeling, isn't it?" Ace heard Lupin's voice say behind him, as a new man examined his features as well. Lupin looked like he'd put on fifty pounds and the wispy hair on his head had disappeared, leaving a balding patch of lightly tanned skin on the top of his head. He threw Ace a spare set of robes and motioned for him to put them on.

"Odd is one way to put it," Ace said finding his voice again, thankful that at least that hadn't changed, "Not the word I would have used….but it works."

"Are you two ladies done gawking?" A much more trim-looking Moody said carefully stowing his eye in his pocket, and heading out the door, "This potion only lasts an hour before it wears off and you need another swig of that stuff."

"Thanks for the warning…" Ace mumbled putting the stopper in his flask, and following after Moody.

The cleaning witch in the hall gave the trio a strange look, but silently went back to her work, as they disappeared down the stairs. As they entered the dim and dusty bar, Ace could swear he could feel the eyes of the man behind the bar boring into the back of his head, despite his newfound appearance. Moody forced open a rusty door at the back of the bar and ushered them into the tiny dead-end alley, before he walked over to the weathered brick wall blocking their way.

"Sooo…," Ace said, stepping over a fallen trash barrel, "Where exactly are we going? Because right now

"Diagon Alley," Lupin said, "Best place to find everything you're going to need."

"So where is it?" Ace asked.

Moody turned away from the wall and looked back at Ace with a Cheshiresque grin on his face, before tapping one of the worn bricks with his wand. It took a massive amount of self-control on Ace's part to keep his lower jaw off of the garbage strewn ground, as the bricks seemed to fold back on them selves and open up onto a bustling street full of witches and wizards.

"I told you I liked your instincts boy," Moody chuckled, clapping Ace once on the back, "You were closer to us than you thought."

Outwardly, it didn't take more than a second for Ace to recover from the initial shock, as they took their first steps through the threshold. Vendors crowded the streets outside of the various shops, each selling goods stranger and more exotic than the last. People crowded the narrow gap between the vendors, bustling to and fro caring all sorts of packages of different shapes and sizes. A young girl scurried by, holding a beaten doll in her hand, black hair up in two pigtails, and eyes twinkling with laughter. Ace paused in his step for a moment, and watched her run by and right to her mother waiting on the other side of the street.

"We don't have time to daydream Professor," Lupin reminded Ace.

"You're right," He said slowly, before catching up with them, "Where to first?"

--

Gotc: Alright, a little shorter than I would have liked it to be, but there was an important little gem in there for those of you who like to dig!

Ace: Why tell them that?! It takes away all the adventure of discovering it later!

Gotc: Cause them it makes this seem more important. Besides, now hopefullyeveryone's wondering what it is I'm talking about. Anyhoo, so sorry for the wait again, new job and all, but I should be posting more now that I've got my new schedule under control. I hope my fans are still out there and will remember to review as always!!


	6. Flight from Domino: Part 1

Gotc: Hrm…Well, I guess something was up with the fanfiction notification system, and the update notice didn't get sent out like it was supposed to. Oh well, hopefully it will work better this chappie! Anyway, I have decided to answer a few of your questions that my loyal viewers have posted in their reviews.

Ace: There's more than one?

Gotc: Well, it's been asked more than once!! Like I was saying, it would seem that some of you out there are wondering if I will be doing any pairings in this fic. Truth is, I'm not sure yet. I've been toying with a few ideas, but haven't really settled on one I like just yet. And for the yaoi enthusiasts out there…I don't write that sort of stuff, sorry. I don't have anything against it, but I just don't care to write about it. Please don't stop reading!

Ace: She'll start begging before long….

Gotc: Why didn't I make you nicer?

Ace: Because you have to know how to be nice first.

Gotc: BWAHAHAHA!! Good point. Back to the question: I do plan on following this fic through the rest of the Harry Potter series, so I'd say the chances are pretty good for having a pairing of some sort develop. So thank you for joining us on this episode of "Ask the Authoress"! Remember, if you want you questions answered, all you need to do, is review!

Ace: You actually rhymed. How long did that take?

Gotc: Pardon me while I go beat Ace senseless. Until then please enjoy the philosophical musings of Squeaky the Whale.

Squeaky: Squeak? (Saying that you own Ace and nothing more is philosophical? Whatever. Ok readers, go do what you do best and enjoy yourselves!)

--

_Harry Potter and the Order of the Rising Dragon_

CHAPTER 5: Flight from Domino: Part 1

The sun had been gone from the sky for several hours, but one light from the Kame Game Shop still shown on the streets of Domino City. The silhouettes of three teenage boys could be seen through the window's drawn curtains, drawing in an unknown predator like moths to a flame…

"I'll attack your Earl of Demise with Gaia the Fierce Knight, and finish off your life points with Jack's Knight." Yami said smugly, folding his arms, "And that makes your third loss tonight Thief."

Bakura growled and tossed his hand onto the table, glaring at Yami the whole time. He'd been stuck in close quarters with the Nameless King, for what seemed like even longer than he'd been trapped in the ring. Personally, he blamed the she-witch that had suggested the four of them stay together in one place. Bad idea. Kaiba had lasted roughly three hours, which was just enough time for the Pharaoh to give him a sound beating, and he and Marik to tease him mercilessly about it.

It had been tolerable the first few days, but now that they were heading into their third week, with their "arranged transport" still days away, Bakura found himself thinking of more and more creative ways to send the King to the Shadow Realm. That was about the same time Ryou had challenged Yami to a duel, then left him to the wolves. Why his stubborn hikari had insisted he inhale the same air as the Pharaoh…

(_Because if we're all going to the same school together, you two need to learn how to at least exist in the same room with one another without threatening to send someone to the Shadow Realm.)_

_((If I can't threaten the Pharaoh's life on a daily basis, then what is the point of existing?))_

An exasperated sigh in the back of his mind was the only response he recived.

"I will beat you one day," Bakura threatened, only to for Yami to chuckle.

"You'll beat me the day Ammut needs a set of dentures," Yami laughed, reshuffling his deck, "Care to make your losses an even four?"

Bakura shook his head no, and proceeded to pick up his cards, glancing over at Malik who was bent over a desk, combing through scans of hieroglyphics.

"What about you Keeper? Try your hand at knocking His Royal Highness off his throne?" He asked.

"Maybe later," Came the distracted reply.

"You'll hurt your eyes staring at that for so long," Yami pointed out.

"Voice of experience, or is that the brain damage talking?" Bakura scoffed.

Yami's crimson eyes narrowed a death glare at the Tomb Robber, and was about to open his mouth to retort, when Malik cut in to the conversation.

"Hey guys," He said, his brow furrowed in a mix of confusion and concentration, "Come take a look at this…"

Yami glared at Bakura's satisfied face for a moment longer, before he joined Malik at the desk. He glanced briefly over the scans, then focused one Malik's translations.

"Dragon of the Western Wind, he who brought both Light and Shadow to the Land of the Pharaoh," Yami read aloud, the words sounding vaguely familiar, "Were there any pictures?"

"Not really," Malik sighed, "The tomb had already been broken into and a lot of the writings and images were marred beyond recognition."

"That wouldn't be _your _handiwork by any chance," Yami chided, "Would it Thief?"

"How should I know?" Bakura growled, snatching up one of the scans and looking it over, "I do seem to remember doing something like this, but this tomb doesn't look familiar…although…"

"The name wouldn't happen to ring a bell would it?" Yami asked

"Somehow yes…" Bakura mused, "But thinking about it gives me a headache."

"Is that any different from normal?" Malik snickered.

"Watch it Keeper…"

Yami frowned, deep in thought. Bakura was right. The more he tried to focus on the name, the more he became aware of a pounding sensation just behind his eyes. It wasn't too painful, but just enough so to throw off his concentration. The feeling was different from the one he got while trying to remember his own name. That was more of a lost, empty feeling but this…It was like there was a new door in his mind that had been locked tight behind an impenetrable barricade.

/_Do you think this could have something to do with your past?/ _Yugi's voice asked hopefully

/_I'm not sure Aibou…I'm not sure…./_

"It's strange though," Malik continued on, ignoring Bakura's threat, "The dialect is tricky…Some of the words don't even seem to be in Egyptian at all, like another language just written in the Egyptian alphabet-"

Suddenly, a cold wave rushed down the spines of the three, while their Items burned hot. Something had set them off, and the Shadows didn't like it.

"Did you feel that?" Bakura asked, instinctively crouching down.

"Mmm." Yami nodded, following his lead, "Magic. And it's close too."

--_Hikari-- _Marik said, the Rod glowing, --_Let me handle this--_

"No doubt it's those 'Dark Wizards' that McGonagall was talking about," Marik whispered, as they heard the telltale sound of a knife being drawn, "I wonder if they know just _who_ they've been sent after."

"Did you ever tell your Hunters?," Yami retorted back, sending a tendril of shadow to kill the lights.

A sudden flicker of movement darted past one of the windows, quickly followed by another. Yami saw the ring flutter briefly around Bakura's neck before stilling just as quickly.

"Whoever they are," Bakura said reaching for his deck, "They have the whole place surrounded."

Yami grabbed his own deck, pulling the Celtic Guardian from the stack. The Gods would probably ensure that they would never come back, but he wasn't the type to send the poor souls to the Shadows before they knew what they were dealing with.

/_I'm glad Grandpa went to visit Professor Hawkins…/ _Yugi said, his voice understandably on edge.

Yami nodded mentally. After the deputy Headmistress had visited, Solomon's "voice of experience", as he called it, had decided it was best if he took a long vacation away from Domino. Most of their friends had left the city as well some weeks before, Anzu was in New York on a summer dancing program, while Jonouchi and Honda had taken Shizuka with them to visit Mai in Tokyo. As if it wouldn't already be a test of their own skill to fend off these wizards, he couldn't imagine having to keep his attention divided to make sure none of their friends and family were hurt. He was about to respond, when a horrible thought suddenly hit him.

"Kaiba."

"What?" Bakura hissed

"Kaiba isn't here!" Yami whispered urgently, "If they found us-"

"Damn that Priest!" Marik swore, "They'll be going after him too! And he doesn't have anything to protect him!"

Just then every door and window on the ground floor burst inward with a deafening blast of noise and white light. Bakura ducked just in time for a three foot splinter of wood to go sailing just over the top of his head. Black cloaked figures came gliding into the room, and surrounded the teens.

"Look what we 'ave 'ere," A female voice sneered from their ranks, "I thought we were goin' after powerful wizards, not a couple a freaks!"

Yami was the first to his feet, while the others stood up so no one had their back to the intruders. Lines of anger were creased deep in his face at such an intrusion, and his crimson eyes flashed dangerously in the dim light.

"What do you want?" He asked slowly, tightening the grip he had on the Shadows to keep them from lashing out.

The group burst out in mocking laughter, ever so slowly drawing their ranks in on the three by miniscule amounts.

"'Aven't you figured it out yet Love?" The witch spoke again, "We're 'ere for you."

In unison, each figure deftly pulled a wand from the depths of their robes, and swung it out to point it at the yamis. There was a sudden surge of Sadow magic, as Bakura's voice rang out in the room.

"Dark Necrofere! Show these fools the meaning of the word 'fear'!" The Thief King snarled.

It only took an instant for the Shadows to answer his call, and the summoned monster stood at his side only briefly, before lunging out at their attackers. The wizards stood, paralyzed with fear, as the monster rushed them, before crumpling to the ground in an unconscious heap as the attack connected. Yami and Marik followed suit, and the Celtic Guardian and Melchid the Four-Faced Beast joined the fight. By that time the wizards had remembered their wands, and were flinging spells at both the monsters and the yamis. There was a satisfying smack, as the Celtic Guardian's sword sliced through one wand, before kicking it's user halfway across the room. Over half of the attackers were either laying unconscious, or scrambling to find out just how far away they could get from the shop.

"We need to go to Kaiba Corp and help Seto," Yami called to the other two through the din, "Or at least warn him to get out of there before they-"

"_Avada Kadavra_!"

There was a sudden burst of green light in the room, and an ear-splitting scream, as it struck the Celtic Guardian in the back. The monster instantly burst into thousands of pieces that disappeared into thin air. Yami's eyes grew wide, as a wave of pain ripped through his body. He clutched at his chest, and fell to his knees, and gave a strangled gasp, before passing out cold on the living room floor.

"Pharaoh!" Bakura barked, seeing the scene unfold from the corner of his eye. When Yami didn't stir, he rushed over to him, and looped one arm around his neck and drug the unconscious king to his feet.

"Marik! Get us out of here!" He yelled to the other Egyptian.

"Vengeful Spirit Bog!" Marik yelled, summoning a thick bluish fog from the depths of the Shadows, that made even his skin crawl.

For a moment he lost Bakura and Yami, before the Thief grabbed a hold of his sleeve and pulled him through one of the holes in the wall that used to be the back door.

--

Gotc: I think I shall stop here for now. I kinda feel like leavin ya all on a cliffie for now. BUAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!

Ace: Has any one told you how evil you are recently?

Gotc: You did at the beginning of the Disclaimer. Soooooo……What did you all think? Hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm? -cough- review -cough-

Ace: Wowwwwww….Subtle.

Gotc: I pride myself on it. Erhem: _Will the yami's escape? What has happened to Yami? And will they be able to get to Kaiba's in time? TUNE IN NEXT TIME FOR THE EXCITING CONCLUSION!….._ Well, not to the story, just this chapter….oh whatever! Just review and I'll post the next chapter that much faster! Laters!


	7. Flight from Domino: Part 2

Gotc: Ok, so I didn't have the heart to keep you all waiting after being M.I.A. for nearly a month.

Ace: You have a heart? I guess you learn something new every day….

Gotc: Sure, like how long you can survive in a locked closet without air. Anyway, I don't do the make you wait a week thing too well, and had the urge to finish my thought process on this chappie anyway. Buuuuuuuuuuut…………I shall once again be those of you who read this (and I know you all do because you're favoriting this and I can see the reader traffic) PUHLEAAASSSSSE REVIEW!! But for those of you loyal people out there who are giving me the feedback, both the good , the bad and the threatening…, I must say I do appreciate it, and this chappie is for you!!

Squeak: Squeak! (Then let's get rolling, shall we? Neither Harry Potter or Yu-gi-oh belong to the above authoress. Ace is currently hiding on the second floor in the old refrigerator box from said authoress, and I'm going to go make a plate of tacos.)

Gotc: Make mine spicy! As for you readers, go enjoy your dedicated chappie. Shoo now and read!

--

_Harry Potter and the Order of the Rising Dragon_

CHAPTER 6: Flight from Domino: Part 2

"Pharaoh! Dammit Wake up!" Marik growled as loud as he dared, while Bakura kept watch around the alley corner.

They had only just managed to duck into the dark alley, when reinforcements arrived, and began tearing the game shop apart looking for the three missing teens. A plume of black smoke was beginning to rise in the air, and they could just make out the faint orange glow of flames against the might sky. Yami was still slumped against the alley wall, despite Marik's best efforts to rouse him.

"Forget it!" Bakura hissed, pulling Yami to his feet and starting to drag him along again, "We need to keep moving. Those freaks are still out there, and if they can do this to the Pharaoh in one shot, I'd rather not find out what else they have in their arsenal."

"Almost sounds like you care," Marik snickered.

"I do not give a damn about His Royal Higness!" Bakura snapped back, "And I also don't want to be hauling your dead weight around either when they find us! Now help me and let's go!"

Marik nodded and draped Yami's other arm around his own neck, as they started off through the dark maze of Domino's back alleys. Barkua would have felt better using the ring to pinpoint exactly where their pursuers were, but he couldn't risk even the faint glow that came from it giving away their position. So instead, every shadow took on a different shape, looking like a menacing cloaked figure lurking just around every corner. What made things worse, was Kaiba Corp. was still over a mile away. Every step, Bakura was reminded why he liked to work alone.

"Couldn't you just have taken over their minds?!" Bakura snarled, finally breaking the eerie silence of the alley.

"I tried Thief!" Marik defended, "But half of them were already being controlled by someone else and the others were able to resist me!"

"So the guy who brain-washed an entire army of Rare Hunters with a Millenium Item, wasn't able to get past a few mental defenses and make them think they were chickens or something for a few minutes?"

"It's not like picking a lock, or getting around a trap!" Marik said in a barely controlled voice, "Yes, I could have got around them, but it's exhausting, especially when there's that many working against you. I'd be no better off than Yami right now if I had."

Almost on cue, a soft glow came from the eye of the puzzle. Life came back into the limp body's arms, and his eyes slowly opened, revealing not crimson, but amethyst irises. Yugi looked exhausted, and worry was etched deep into lines on his face. He wobbled for a brief moment, when Bakura and Marik set him down on his own too feet, and he put a hand on a nearby dumpster to support himself, while the other buried itself in his tri-colored hair.

"H-he won't wake up…" Yugi said shakily, "I.. couldn't get him to…He's still there…but when the Celtic Guardian…That pain.. .Wasn't like it was destroyed, obliterated more like it."

"We can talk about this later Yugi," Bakura said , hearing approaching footsteps, "You think you could walk on your own?"

"Yeah" Came the reply after a moment, "What if that witch did something to him? What if he won't wake up?"

"Please," Marik said, "How many times has someone, including myself and the Thief tried to kill your infernal yami? You should know better than anyone how stubborn he is. But right now, those guys are still on our trail, but we'll find someone who can help him as soon as _we're_ out of the fire. And we still have to get to Kaiba, remember?"

"Right..."Yugi agreed half-heartedly, feeling a little better.

"Can we _please_ keep moving?" Bakura growled, "Not that I wouldn't enjoy sending a few hapless souls to the shadows, but I'd rather not be joining them if it's all the same to you two."

Yugi said nothing, but silently followed behind the other yamis though the dark streets. His normally bright amethyst eyes were downcast and clouded over. Half of his attention was directed solely on keeping his feet moving one in front of the other, while the rest had retreated to his darker half's soul room. Yami still wasn't responding, and no matter how hard he pried, the link between them remained solidly shut.

_/Come on Yami…./ _Yugi pleaded, _/Please wake up…/_

--

The three had two more close calls before the towering outline of the Kaiba Corp could bee seen silhouetted against the moonless sky. Once they'd nearly been on top of each other before they'd realized their mistake. The skirmish lasted only seconds, with out a scream and the Shadows being a few souls heavier. Even Yugi came alive for a moment, as he summoned one of his monsters to join the fray. Marik muttered something under his breath about a Pharaoh clone, but let the subject drop as the sound of angry voices reached their ears. A blast from behind them nearly scalped Bakura, instead smashed into the wall next to him and blew several bricks loose. Yugi spun on his heel and pulled a single card from his deck, the Puzzle glowing as he reached for the magic it contained.

"Mirror Force!"

Another blast rushed towards them, as the shimmering barrier erupted from the card between the two groups. The two forces clashed in a sparking of energy, thin waves of it rippling over the translucent surface as it lit up the entire alley for a brief moment. There were at least five hooded wizards behind them, each with a wand dawn and either adding to the attack on the shield, or preparing to. Yugi's face was set in a line of determination, as he focused on maintaining the barrier, ignoring the beads of sweat that started to run into his eyes as more hexes slammed into the shield.

"Yugi!" Bakura yelled, "What are you waiting for?!"

"Not…yet!"

The shield almost started to quiver as another spell hit it head on, the waves of magic thrashing wildly over its surface. Yugi dropped to on knee, as the last wizard took aim at the shield and fired. The magic had reached its breaking point, and he couldn't hold it any longer. A thin smile curved across his lips, and two amethyst eyes flashed in a moment of success, as Yugi released his hold on the magic.

The great shield bowed inward in a single heave, before rebounding the whole of the collected magic that it had absorbed. The blast rebounded on its scrabbling owners, striking them with unwavering ferocity and sending shockwaves through the alley. Yugi was thrown backwards into Bakura and Marik, exhausted, but with a look of grim satisfaction.

"Where did you learn that?!" Marik asked, thoroughly impressed with the display.

"Yami's been teaching me," Yugi said, a little embarrassed, "I didn't mean to throw it back quite so hard though."

"Remind me to stay off _your_ bad side," Marik said, as they resumed their pace through the alley.

"No kidding," Bakura admitted, "At least you know the Pharaoh can use Shadow Magic, but you? I'm just glad it wasn't me on the other end back there…."

"I think that was almost a compliment," Yugi said in mock surprise, with a smile in his voice.

"Don't get used to it." The Thief King grumbled back, and pointed ahead of them, "We may not live long enough for it to happen again."

Kaiba Corp Tower loomed in front of them like an ominous beacon. Light posts illuminated the entire area surrounding the building in sharp detail, despite the absence of the moon, and several hooded figures were gliding over the stretch of pavement that separated them from the main doors, no doubt searching for a way inside.

"Well," Yugi asked, "What now? We can't go back, someone will have figured out which way we're headed after that thing back in the alley, and we can't go forward, or we'll be seen."

"This is _your_ area Thief," Marik said, "Getting in and out undetected is your specialty. Any ideas?"

"First, don't make it sound like tomb robbing is easy," Bakura said, still absorbing the task ahead of him, "You get good at it, but once you get cocky, you wind up dead in a spike trap, or sealed in a certain ring. Second, yes I do have a plan. I'd prefer not to actually enter the Shadow Realm if we could help it, but we could wrap a veil of shadow around us. It wouldn't be total invisibility, and truthfully, it works better when you aren't in direct light, but it'll be better than charging the place without any cover at all."

"And what about getting in once we're there?" Marik asked.

"We have to make it that far first."

Yugi sighed, and rubbed his temples. A powerful headache had formed after his last stunt, and it was pounding violently at the sides of his skull. His arms and legs felt heavy, and coupled with the empty feeling that still gnawing at him from Yami's unconciousness, along with the stress of the rest of the night, he was nearly ready to come apart. But Kaiba was still on his own, and they couldn't just leave him to whatever fate may befall him.

"It's the only option we have," Yugi said, "I'll help where I can, but that Mirror Force took more out of me than I thought it would."

Bakure grumbled something in Egyptian, but nodded, as the Ring around his neck came to life. Tendrils of Shadow seeped from its center, and started to wrap around the three. Marik followed suit, clutching the Rod, and added to the Shadows swirling about them. The night around them seemed to take on an oil-on-water effect, with hazy colors that shouldn't be there occasionally drifting past. There was an odd sensation pulling at them, and Yugi had the feeling of a rat beneath a rug. Standing between realms, not quite in either one, but still in both at the same time had a disorienting effect, but there was no time to get used to it before they started to move.

"If you get too far away, they'll be able to see you," Bakura whispered, "Stay close, and move fast,"

That was easier said than done. The wrap was hardly big enough for the three of them, and so they had to adopt a half skip, half shuffle to make any kind of progress at all. A few times, one of the hooded figures looked right at them, trying to work out if anything was really there or not. When that happened, the three stood perfectly still, not even wanting to breathe, for fear the sound could give them away. There was a chilling feeling that crept down their spines as it gazed in their direction, and while none could say it, there was defiantly something not human about it. Only once it reluctantly looked away, did they resume their shuffle to the door. They were making their way up the three flights of stone steps that separated them from their goal, when Yugi's heavy feet caught the edge of one of the stairs, and he fell forward into the others.

The spell broke instantly, their only protection vanishing in thin smoke-like whips around them. Every one of the hooded figures snapped their heads in the direction of their suddenly visible prey. With an unnatural screech, they came swooping in on the three, scrambling to get up the steps. Bakura was already at the door, working to break the lock, but Yugi's body refused to move, no matter how hard he tried. Those things were almost on him, when Marik spun around and let loose a blast of Shadow to slam into the nearest one.

The Egyptian bounded back down the stairs, and scooped Yugi under one arm, thankful the teen didn't weigh more, and tore back up the steps to a waiting Bakura who had managed to pry the doors open. One of the things took a swipe at him, and he felt the hairs on the back of his neck stand up, as a sheer cloth swept over his skin. Another blast of Shadow crashed into another hooded creature, courtesy of Bakura, as Marik nearly bowled him over getting through the door. It took both of them to hold the doors shut against the screeching figures, while Bakura used a stream of Shadow to seal them shut again.

"That's not going to hold them for long," Bakura panted, backing away from the doors, "If we're going to find Kaiba, we need to do it now and get out of here. Grab the Pharaoh's mini-me and lets go!"

Marik hauled Yugi up again, and ran after Bakura through the deserted halls of the Kaiba Corp headquarters. Yugi was mumbling incoherently, his eyes fluttering open and closed, trying to keep himself within the borders of consciousness. Sweat dripped off of his face, and every now and again, there would be a brief flicker of life through his like to the Pharaoh, before a sharp stab of pain ripped through and sealed it again.

"What's the matter with him!?" Marik called to Bakura.

"Must have something to do with the Pharaoh," He snapped, "or it could be the strain from using more Shadow Magic than he should have, or the dark, hooded reapers in training behind us! Take your pick!"

There was a resonating blast from somewhere below them, that threw the two to the steps beneath them. Angry voices carried up through the stairwell they were in and helped them take the steps two at a time to the top floor. A wave of cold air seemed to boil up through the stairwell, hugging them and making it harder to breathe. They could almost feel the ragged breaths of whatever those things were at the back of their necks, even as they burst through the doors to Kaiba's office.

Two black robed men were laying unconscious on the floor of the CEO's office, and a panting Kaiba was bent over his desk, clutching his side. Mokuba was the first to notice their apperance, as he peeked out from under his brother's desk, and ran to help the yami's barricade what was left of the office.

"How did you guys get here?!" He asked, throwing whatever he could get his hands on against the door.

"Took a leisuerly stroll through the park!" Marik shot back, "Those things attacked us at Yugi's!"

"What happened to him?!"

"The same thing that's going to happen to us if we don't get out of here!" Bakura yelled, "Priest! Is there any other way out of this death trap of a headquarters?"

Kaiba looked up with a dangerous mix of anger and irritation in his steely blue eyes. He nodded once and wiped away a thin trail of blood that was running over his chin, before pressing a panal on one of the side walls.

"Get..to the roof," He managed hoarsely, steadying himself against the door frame.

The group abandoned their barricade attempt, and rushed up the hidden stairwell, as the panel slid closed behind them. Kaiba threw open the steel door onto the roof, and led the group across the gravely surface, to the hangar stationed at the other end. But this time, their pursuers had had enough, and were already waiting for them. A dozen of the hooded creatures descended upon the five, surrounding them and cutting them off from any route of escape. The two conscious item holders assumed a defensive stance, ready for a last stand, while Kaiba drew his brother in close to his side. There was a tense moment between the two parties, almost as if the creatures were letting them accept their defeat, before they lunged at them.

A sudden crack ripped through the air, and several new voices joined the fray as ghostly figures of different animals attacked the creatures. Several more cracks echoed behind them, and secure arms wrapped around each of the five and all of them disappeared just as quickly as they had come.

Miles away, a boy with black hair woke with a start, as a lightning shaped scar on his head began to burn…

--

Gotc: Ok, sorry. This took longer than I thought, and I got grounded, so I had to write it in secret. Anyway, hope you all liked, I'll post more soon, blah blah blah, REVIEW AND MAKE MY RISK WORTHWHILE!! Thank ou and have a nice day.


	8. The Journey of a Thousand Miles

Gotc: 0.o….ok…so I'm guessing you guys liked my last chappie…..

Ace: -sticks head out of piles of printed e-mails- What gave you that ridiculous idea?

Gotc: What a bright spot of sunshine you are. Anyhoo, I had to throw in a little bit of action in there, and sorry to those of you who were expecting for the gang to make their getaway on the Blue-Eyes Jet. Thought about it, but the gang had to make it to London somehow. 'Sides, had to do it without Kaiba throwing a magic-is-not-real fit.

Ace: You enjoy wrenching people out of their comfort zones don't you?

Gotc: Like I'm gonna do to you in a few chapters?

Ace: Yes….yes like that….

Gotc: Glad you see it my way. Now if we can move along….SQUEAKY!!

Squeak: Squeak! (This is for all you people who enjoy wrenching beloved characters out of their comfort zones, which hopefully doesn't include J.K. Rowling or Takahashi. It does however include Gotc, which is why this fic exists.)

Gotc: Right indeed! ONWARD TO THE FIC! Oh, by the way, anything in another language will be underlined! Thank you and happy reading!

--

_Harry Potter and the Order of the Rising Dragon_

CHAPTER 7: The Journey of a Thousand Miles...

The Order had grown used to dealing with the erratic behavior of Voldermort's followers over the past few weeks. He was far from the height of power he had enjoyed so much all those years ago, but none of them had expected him to make such a sudden and decisive move in Domino. They hadn't expected the small game shop to have been burned to the ground upon their arrival to the well-known gaming town. They hadn't expected Dementors as well as Death Eaters prowling the streets looking for their prey. And when they finally managed to catch up to them, they found themselves heaving a great sigh of relief, because they certainly hadn't expected to find them alive.

Then again, as they found themselves all safely back at Number Twelve Grimwald Place, their new charges were anything but what they had been expecting. Bizarre hair styles stuck out in every which direction, gold jewelry, leather and long trench coats were the only observations that anyone could make out in the flurry of activity that carried over from the rooftop in Domino. Weary as the teens were, they were still struggling to resist any hand that reached out to help them. One lashed out viciously with a golden knife, slicing someone's hand, while the tall brunette all but tackled Sirius after he made the unfortunate mistake of grabbing hold of the younger Kaiba's arm.

Both groups were shouting and screaming at each other, some in English, some in Japanese, with a few choice words from the Egyptian language thrown in amongst the chaos. It seemed to take the teens a moment to realize they were no longer standing in the middle of a circle of Dementors on a skyscraper rooftop, but in the middle of a dusty old dining room amidst a rag-tag group of witches and wizards. Their eyes darted from face to face, while they crowded into one corner of the room to prevent anyone else to sneak up on them from behind. They spoke in low voices, muttering something in a mix of Japanese and Egyptian, but never once taking their gaze away from the wizards.

"I say we don't even give them the chance," Marik growled, tightening his grip on the Millennium Rod, "Send all of them to the Shadows now."

"Put a hold on the schizoid tendencies for a moment will you?" Kaiba snapped, "If they wanted to kill us, don't you think they would have done it by now?"

"Says the CEO who just broke that guy's ribs for touching his little brother," Marik retorted.

"I'm with Marik," Bakura hissed, "For all we know, these guys could be even worse than those hooded things-"

(_Bakura! Shut up!)_

The sudden command from his normally submissive hikari stunned the yami into a brief moment of silence.

_((Yandoushi…)) _Bakura growled dangerously, _((Since when do you think I take orders form you?))_

_(Since they started talking over there, Yugi is hurt, and you don't know how to speak English.) _Came the tense reply, _(Now give me back control, so I don't have to strain so hard to hear them.)_

Bakura issued a deep growl from the back of his throat, before literally shoving his hikari back into control. The only indication of the switch, was the fleeting glow of the Ring and perhaps the hostility in the white-haired teens eyes lessening a fraction. Ryou cocked his head a little, straining to catch the words being formed by the muted voices.

"…remarkable they even managed to last so long."

"The short one doesn't look very well….Stunning charm maybe?"

"Hard to tell until we can get near him…Too bad McGonagall's not here. Don't really have her knack for languages…"

Only Marik recognized the switch right away, and was mildly shocked at the Tomb Robber's compliance to relinquish control so easily. Still, the look on Ryou's face was concentrated enough, it was hard to tell the difference between yami and hikari.

"You know what they're saying?" The Egyptian asked at last.

"Most of it." Ryou admitted, "My English is a little rusty, but they're worried about Yugi and they've mentioned that McGonagall person who spoke with us that day about the school. I don't think they're the same sort who attacked us back at Yugi's."

"Are you sure?" Kaiba asked, his cold blue eyes boring holes into Ryou for answers.

"Don't you speak English?" Ryou asked incredulously.

"Enough to get around, but not much more than that," The elder Kaiba snorted, as if the answer were obvious, "I usually hire a translator for everything else."

Ryou sighed deeply. He sincerely hoped there was some magical remedy for a language barrier, because he certainly didn't want to be playing liaison for the group, especially Kaiba, for too long. But right now, they needed answers, and Yugi needed help. He made a split-second decision and took a deep breath before addressing the wizards.

"My name is Ryou Bakura," He started, deciding his name was as good a place as any to begin, "These are my friends Malik Ishtar, Yugi Muto, and Seto and Mokuba Kaiba. I can speak some English and will translate for them, but first, please tell me: Where are we, and who are you?"

--

It took the better part of four hours for the two parties to at last spell out their respective tales. More than once, Ryou had to hear the same explanation over again in order to give an accurate translation, as questions were fired at him from both directions. He could feel his yami brooding in some dark corner of his mind, while still listening intently as the translation of the wizard's story rolled through his head.

A tense moment spread through the group, as a few of the wizards started to carry Yugi to one of the upstairs rooms. Another re-enactment of the Tower of Babel erupted in the room, and it took a good deal of persuading to convince the teens of their intentions.

"We're just going to take him someplace quiet, where he can rest and recover," A gaunt, grey haired wizard assured them, looking back and forth between Ryou and the others.

"And how do we know you aren't going to kill him as soon as he's out of sight?" Marik snapped, after Ryou explained.

"Because that's something _you_ would do," Kaiba retorted under his breath, settling back into his chair at the table.

"We wouldn't have gone to the trouble of risking our own necks to save you," A wizard with an enchanted eye grumbled, not bothering to wait for Ryou's translation of their conversation, "if we were just going to kill you later. Not much sense in it, is there?"

Reluctantly, Marik sat down, and Ryou rubbed his aching head. He wished for a moment that they hadn't had quite so much experience with the dealings of dark plots and evil leaders. Maybe they wouldn't be so suspicious of people who only seemed like they were just trying to help.

_((The day you look at every one as a friend instead of an enemy, is the day someone walks up behind you and stabs you in the heart.)) _Bakura reminded his hikari.

_(Thanks for the lovely image,)_ Ryou sighed, _(But this isn't Ancient Egypt in case you hadn't noticed. Things aren't the same as they used to be.)_

_((Society as a whole maybe, but the people who make it up, never change.))_

Much to Ryou's relief, a red-headed witch brought them each a glass filled with a strange silver liquid. It had no real taste to speak of, and was thicker going down than it had looked in the cup, but strangely enough after they had finished their cup's contents, each discovered that they could understand what was being said, before Ryou could translate. Somebody mumbled something about how difficult it had been to make a language draught on such short notice, but the conversation progressed much smoother now that everyone could add their insight to the story.

By the end, the teens had learned they were now sharing company with a small group of wizards that called themselves the "Order of the Phoenix", who were working against a dark wizard by the name of Voldermort (Ryou had to mentally kick Bakura for snickering every time someone flinched at the mention of the name.) This self-proclaimed dark lord had been the one who had sent the other wizards and hooded creatures they called, dementors after them. The members of the Order were all extremely eager to hear just how the teens had managed to evade so many Death Eaters for so long. The teens traded uneasy glances, not willing to divulge the secret of the Millennium Items or the nature of the power they wielded. They could feel the curious eyes of the Order members boring into them, especially the one named Moody, until Kaiba interrupted the growing tension in the room and got to his feet.

"Look, not that this isn't a fascinating conversation," He said in his patented business-like tone, pulling a yawning Mokuba close to his side, "but I'd rather get some sleep before I have to relive this nightmare for you."

"The dear boy's right," The same red-headed witch who had brought them the drinks agreed, "They all must be absolutely exhausted. You four hold on one moment, and I'll make sure your beds are ready."

Before anyone could object, she hurried from the dinning room and scurried up the stairs. The other witches and wizards that had been gathered around the table soon followed suit, getting up and stretching, heading off to the kitchen for something to eat, or politely excusing themselves to leave. There was no pretending that the boys weren't still the center of attention, but they knew any further conversation or speculation, would wait until they were safely out of earshot. There was a sudden commotion above their heads that sounded all too much like angry voices, but before any questions could be asked, the red-headed witch came back into the room and bustled them all up the stairs.

The upper floor was in almost as bad of shape as the dining room they had just spent the last few hours in. Dust and cobwebs were thick on the walls and trinkets lining various shelves spaced along the hall. There was some evidence of cleaning, but the dirt and grime had such a foothold that progress had obviously been slow going, and a huge black curtain seemed to emanate an aura of utter malice as they paseed. There were other doors along the hall, but they had all been shut tight, save one, which they were quickly ushered into. Marik thought he heard one of the doors open as they passed, but didn't dare turn around and give any indication he had heard.

There were two beds, one which was already occupied by a sleeping Yugi, two cots and a moth-eaten couch that had been covered with a clean sheet and pillows. There were several picture frames in the room, each with some witch or wizard peering at the teens who had just intruded in their corner of the world.

"I say!" One of them protested, "Such outlandish outfits! They're nearly as bad as that first one! Wizard blood has become thin indeed if that sort of thing is allowed at Hogwarts nowadays."

"Oh hush up already!" The witch snapped, flicking her wand at each frame, "They've been through enough already today. Now out with the lot of you!"

There was a great deal of protesting from the figures in the frames, as what looked like black paint poured over the canvas, blocking the out completely and left the room quiet. Marik flopped onto the vacant bed and kicked up a plume of dust, earning him a glare from Kaiba, as he laid his already sleeping brother onto the couch and tucked him in. Ryou settled himself into one of the cots, while the witch adjusted the heavy curtains to keep out the afternoon sun.

"There," She said satisfied, "I hope you'll be comfortable here for now. Term starts in a few days, so you won't be crowded for long. If you need anything, don't hesitate to ask. But do try and keep your voices down. There are some things in this house that aren't too thrilled with our being here."

"_Things?"_ Ryou gulped, "What sort of things?"

"Oh don't you worry about it," She assured them, walking out the door and closing it behind her, "You just get some rest and we'll discuss things more when you've had some time to recuperate."

The three watched the closed door intently, until they could hear the softly retreating footsteps head back down the stairs to rejoin the others.

"Well," Marik sighed, "What do we do now?"

"What do you mean?" Kaiba asked.

"Isn't it obvious?" Ryou said, propping himself up on one elbow, "We can't tell them about how we escaped or they'll find out about the Millennium Items. And after everything they told us about those Dark Wizards…"

"…They may just lump us in with them," Marik summed up, "Or try to use the Items against this Voldermort guy."

"You don't want to take the guy on after what he just tried to do to us?" Kaiba scoffed, rolling into bed.

"Believe me Priest," Marik said, at last relinquishing control to Malik, "He's not about to get away with anything, but we've all seen what the Items can do to the inexperienced. Or perhaps you forgot about your little friend Pegasus."

Kaiba cast and angry glare in the Egyptain's direction. Of course he hadn't forgotten that lunatic, how could he after everything he had done to both his brother and himself? Pegasus had always been a few cards short of a full deck, but that Eye of his had seemed to push him off the deep end at last. He could see Ryou's point; they needed wizards like Pegasus like they needed holes in their heads. Which was probably the idea.

"So we lie then," Kaiba shrugged, "Or you do anyway. I still put you three in the same group as that nutcase Pegasus, and would rather not have anything to do with you if I can help it anyway."

"So that's why our paths keep crossing like this?" Malik snickered, "Because you're avoiding us? I'd try looking into a different tactic. Maybe you should talk to Yugi's little girlfriend-"

"Could we focus for a second?" Ryou sighed, "Or are we just going to stammer our way through our next Q&A session?"

"Fine," Malik conceded, "How about we say we were heading out to get something to eat, and were already out of the house when they came busting in. They blew the place up, and we figured if they were after us, then they may be after Kaiba too, so we ran to help him."

"Great plan," Kaiba snorted, "Then what happened to Yugi?"

"The shockwave made him hit his head when they blew up his house," Malik said after a moment of thinking, "He has enough hair that it would cover up any bump he might have."

"Is that really the best you can do?" Kaiba scoffed

"I don't hear you coming up with anything!"

"I was working late on a shipment deal for some new hologram components, when a couple of those Death Eaters came busting into my office," Kaiba said coolly, "One of them blew my desk in half, the other hit me with something in the gut. Mokuba hid under what was left, and when they got close enough and I hit them both over the head with one of the broken desk legs."

"That's your story?" Malik rolled his eyes, unimpressed, "They'll never believe that garbage!"

"It's not garbage," Kaiba said pulling the covers over himself, "That's what really happened before you showed up."

Malik opened his mouth to speak again, but Ryou cut him off.

"Look," He said wearily, "I think they'll believe anything at this point, and most of the story's true anyway. If they want to know anything else, just say it was too dark, or you just don't remember. We'll figure out the rest later."

Silence slowly spread through the room, as one by one, sleep finally claimed the three after their seemingly endless day. And each closed their eyes with the same feeling growing in the pit of their stomachs: They had only taken one step into this strange new world, and already they were in over their heads.

--

Gotc: Bleh. So I didn't much care for this chappie, but I had to introduce them into the Order….sorta. Introductions really happen next chappie, and then we can really get rolling! Hopefully I didn't botch this too bad, I know I switched P.O.V.'s on ya too, but I hope you were able to follow along with it all! Like I said, next chappie will be better!! See ya all soon!


	9. New Acquaintances

Gotc: Ok, I know that the last chappie wasn't the best…..BUT PLEASE STILL REVIEW!!! Your feedback makes me feel loved…

Ace: Well-

Gotc: Don't. Anyhoo, back to more pressing matters: SQUEAKY!

Squeaky: Squeak! (Come on people! Places! Let's get this chappie movin'! JK owns the book, Takahashi owns the anime, and Gotc owns the psycho.)

Ace: WHAT-

Gotc: Later. Chappie now. Have fun!! FYI: this is gonna be a long chappie to make up for your wait!

----

_Harry Potter and the Order of the Rising Dragon_

CHAPTER 8: New Acquaintances 

_Something was off. The rough stone walls all seemed to turn to alabaster under Yugi's hand, as he crept along the hall. He no longer felt the urge to run, but rather to keep as quiet as possible as he made his way towards the raised voices at the end of the tunnel._

"_I want him here and now!"_

"_But Lord Akunadin! He bested twelve of my men! They won't go anywhere near him!"_

_Yugi peered around the edge of one alabaster pillar, and into a ornately decorated room. It wasn't nearly as large as a throne room should be, but his gaze was drawn by a aged old man menacingly advancing on the Guard Captain. In the flickering light of the torches that lined the room, he could see his face contorted in total rage as he advanced on the younger captain._

"_One man. You mean to tell me one man made it though twelve of Egypt's elites, and halfway to the king's throne before you managed to subdue him?!"_

_The captain took a half step back, beads of nervous sweat running in thin rivulets down his brow._

"_You will bring him before me." The priest said simply, though his tone promised dire consequences should his demands not be met. _

_The captain gave a shaky bow, and hurried out of the room as fast as he could without breaking into a dead run. Yugi watched carefully, crouching down even further, as he heard the captain bark an order to one of the waiting guards. He stole a quick glance back at the High Priest, only to find him standing stock still waiting for the guard's return. A commotion caught Yugi's attention and drew it back to the main doors, as a dozen guards came through the entrance. Each held a long spear, and had it pointed at one man in their midst. _

_He might have been a prisoner, but he certainly didn't act like one. The man seemed to be completely unaware of the spear points resting at his back, as he strode into the room with an air of dignity and power. Yugi squinted at him too get a better look, but there didn't seem to be enough light to make out many details about this new stranger, and he didn't dare to creep any closer for a better look._

"_Who are you?" Akunadin bellowed at him, "What is your name? And what purpose have you in the Land of the Pharaoh?"_

"_I am who I am," The man said easily, "My name is no concern of yours. I have come to this land to request an audience with your king."_

"_Why?" Akunadin growled, "Egypt's enemies are many as of late, of both man and shadow. How do I know you are not some assassin? You attacked the Palace Guard not half a cycle ago to gain entrance to the palace grounds."_

"_If I were an assassin, your 'guards' would be dead and not simply unconscious," The man said with a hint of annoyance in his voice, "I told you I came to seek an audience and I will have one, by force if necessary."_

"_And just what is it that you are so desperate to discuss with the Pharaoh that you chance execution for?" The High Priest asked._

_The man reached into the folds of his clothes, his gaze never diverting from the priest before him. The guards behind him all tensed and gripped their spears a little tighter, no doubt afraid of another attack. But the man made no move to attack anyone, and instead pulled out a gold encrusted, leather bound book, bearing the unmistakable Eye of Horus._

"_Because I might have a way to turn the Shadows that plague this land on the enemies that would wish to see it destroyed…"_

A sudden rush of cold water jerked Yugi out of his sleep, and back to the realm of reality. His vision swam before his eyes, as he sat straight up in his bed. For a moment, he couldn't remember where he was, but then his memories came rushing back to him in a flood. The shop, the wizards, Yami… Yugi immediately tried the link, and gave a great sigh of relief to find it was open once more.

_/Yami?/_

_//Nhgg…Ra…My head…//_

Yugi couldn't help but smile to himself. He'd let Yami recuperate before he tried to talk to him. The next order of bussiness was finding who had doused him with ice water. He didn't have to look far before to find a smirking Malik holding a dripping pail in his hands.

"Rise and shine, Rip Van Winkle! Told ya' I could wake him up." The Egyptian grinned, looking at a disapproving Ryou.

"That wasn't what I meant…"

Yugi threw his wet pillow at Malik, and smiled in satisfaction when it made contact with a wet slap. He stiffly swung his legs over the side of the bed, stretching his aching body. He rubbed his bleary eyes, trying to adjust them to the light, but the pounding in his head was making it rather difficult.

"How long was I out?" Yugi asked, stifling a yawn.

"A little over a week," Ryou said, "We were starting to worry about you. Some of the Order thought that those Death Eaters must have done something to your mind-"

"Wait," Yugi stopped him, "What?"

"Yugi was passed out when we were rescued," Malik said, smacking the back of Ryou's head, "Remember? He has no idea what you're talking about."

Yugi opened his mouth to say something, but his stomach beat him to the punch with a loud and obvious growl.

"Maybe we could discuss this over some breakfast?"

---

Yugi followed behind Ryou and Malik as they gave him a quick rundown of the last week while he'd been out of commission, as well as the events in Domino after he'd passed out. Ryou and Malik kept talking as they continued down the hall, but immediately shut up when they came within sight of a large curtain hanging on one wall. Malik pressed a finger to his lips, before making his way past it. Yugi looked at Ryou questioningly, but followed suit as the other teen crept silently behind Malik.

"What was that all about?" Yugi whispered once they were past, still feeling the need to be as quiet as possible.

"That was plan 'B' if the water didn't wake you up," Malik grinned maliciously, "Trust me, I'd rather go to the Shadow Realm before braving that terror again."

At last the little entourage reached a great stone dining room, dimly lit with the rays of a newly risen sun, just peaking over the horizon. A long wooden table occupied most of the space in the room, while dust and grime seemed to fill the rest. Kaiba sat at one end of the table with a mug of coffee and several different newspapers all strewn about him, and the latest issue of the local Domino paper in his hand. Mokuba was under that table, holding a feather, while a massive ginger cat swatted at it playfully. Both brothers looked up at the new arrivals as they entered the room and took a seat at the table.

"Yugi! You're up!" Mokuba said happily, "But why are you all wet?"

"Ask Malik," Yugi said taking a seat and futilely trying to wring out his clothes.

"About time you woke up," Kaiba said to Yugi, before gruffly returning to his paper.

"Glad to see you're in a cheery mood this morning," Malik scoffed, rolling his eyes.

"No phone, no laptop, and no other way of sending a message to the outside world except by a bird?" Kaiba snarled in a controlled rage, keeping his voice low enough so that no one else would overhear, "How in the hell am I supposed to run a company if I can't get a hold of them?!"

"I'm sure you'll think of something," Malik said completely unconcerned, reaching for the bowl of fruit in the middle of the table and tossing an apple to Yugi, "We're usually the first ones up, so that'll have to hold ya' until Mrs. Weasley wakes up."

"So where are we exactly?" Yugi asked through a mouthful of apple.

"Number Twelve Grimwauld Place, London." Ryou said grabbing an apple for himself, "But where that corresponds to the rest of the world is anyone's guess. They haven't let us outside since we got here."

"Well this is supposed to be a _secret _headquarters, right?" Yugi asked, "It's not like they want their cover blown."

Ryou shrugged and took a couple more bites out of his apple, before speaking again.

"So what happened to you and Yami back in Domino?" He asked.

Yugi was quiet for a moment. He hadn't exactly had the time to process what had happened back at the shop. Then again, he wasn't sure how to process it either. He'd never felt anything like that before, even if it had been second-hand.

"I'm not sure…" Yugi sighed, "There was just this cold feeling, then it was like…a part of me had been ripped away. Almost like a Shadow Game, but this had more….I don't know…. finality to it. "

The entire room had gone quiet, and even Kaiba had set down his paper to listen to Yugi's recollection. Malik sat with his brow furrowed, probably talking with his Yami, while Ryou leaned back in his chair with a sigh.

"Yugi," Malik said, breaking the silence, "Do you still have your deck with you?"

"Sure," Yugi shrugged, pulling the cards from his belt, "Why?"

"Mind if I see them?"

Yugi handed over his deck, ignoring the snort of distaste that came from Kaiba's direction. Willingly turning over his deck to another duelist was like blasphemy in Kaiba's book, because it was like giving someone a manual on how to pick apart your strategies card by card. Yugi wasn't worried though. He and Malik had dueled so many times in the last few weeks, he could list the cards in the Egyptian's deck in his sleep.

"Yugi…" Malik said slowly, "That monster Yami summoned when we were attacked, it was the Celtic Guardian right?"

"Yeah," Yugi said uneasily, "Why?"

Malik rifled through Yugi's cards one last time, before he pulled one of them out of the stack and tossed it face-down onto the table. Yugi cast Malik a questioning look, before flipping the card over. The opposite side brought back a fleeting memory of his time spent on Duelist Kingdom. The card he held in his hand bore a striking resemblance to the Glory of the Kings Opposite Hand card he had been given at the start of that particular nightmare. The card held no image of a monster, trap, or spell; only a taunting blank, white face. Yugi almost thought the card was a joke, until his eye caught the inscription at the top of the card.

"It…it was meant for me…" Yugi mumbled numbly, setting the card down in front of him and put his head in his hands, "Not him…."

Yami's translucent form appeared just behind Yugi with a solemn expression on his face. He had heard the entire conversation and had come to the same conclusion Yugi had. The Celtic Guardian, a trusted ally, monster and friend, was gone.

There was a moment of mournful silence that spread through the group. Everyone had something the wanted to say to comfort the spiky haired teen, but before they had the chance, there was a loud crack that echoed off of the stone walls of the dining room. Yugi's head jerked up to see two flame headed boys leaning lazily on the table with identical lopsided grins. Of course, that wasn't the only thing that was identical about them, as a matter of fact, he couldn't find anything that would tell the two apart.

"You guys ever like to sleep in?" One of the red-heads joked snatching a piece of fruit from the bowl in front of the group.

"There's a significant time difference between England and Japan," Kaiba answered tersely, "The fact that we're even awake while the sun's up after a week is nothing short of a miracle."

"Well you might want to consider sleeping while the sun's up too," The other twin chuckled, "Cause any more of your bright disposition might just blind us."

"Look here Fred!" The first twin exclaimed, catching sight of Yugi, "The other one's finally awake!"

"You're right George!" The other twin agreed, pushing past Malik and Bakura to shake Yugi's hand, "Fred and George Weasley. Nice to meet you."

"Yugi Muto…" Yugi said a little surprised.

The twins suddenly jerked their heads up at the sound of shouting and rapid footsteps on the floor above their heads. Another wailing voice joined the symphony, screeching something about muggles and traitors loud enough for the noise to echo throughout the entire house.

"What did you two do this time?" Ryou sighed, as the commotion got louder.

"Just a bit of field testing mate!" Fred said innocently, "Have to make sure all of our products are up to snuff before we sell 'em to the general public!"

"A top notch joke shop has to have top notch products," George agreed, before they very clearly heard their names amongst the screams, "Well it's been nice meeting you, but I'm afraid it's time for us to take our leave. Oh and if you would-"

"We haven't seen you," Malik finished, "We know the routine."

"Cheers mate," George said tipping an invisible hat before the two vanished with a crack.

Hardly a second later, a disheveled brunette came charging into the dining room, with murder written on her face. Her eyes scoured the room with an angry fire, before resting on the group of teens casually enjoying the morning.

"Where's Fred and George?!" She demanded in a bossy voice that would have made even Kaiba proud.

"Good morning to you too Hermione" Malik shrugged picking up a section of the paper Kaiba had discarded.

"Oh don't do this today!" She sighed exasperatedly, "Those two set off three dozen of those horrible Decoy Detonators upstairs! They're still going off and we can't get Mrs. Black's portrait closed- Oh! You're awake!"

Yugi figured at once she was talking about him. He wished briefly he could go back to sleep, but got to his feet and introduced himself.

"Yugi Muto," He bowed politely, "Nice to meet you."

"Hermione Granger," She said shaking his hand, "You're friends have told us quite a bit about you while you were asleep…. But umm…"

Yugi rolled his eyes as he caught hers drifting to look at his hair. He might as well get used to it, since he had a feeling he was going to be getting quite a few of those stares once they made it to Hogwarts.

"Yes," He sighed with a tired smile, "It's natural."

"It's your turn to help Malik," Kaiba said unconcerned from behind his paper, as Mrs. Black's wailings grew louder.

"It is not!" The Egyptian began to protest.

"Oh forget it, I'll do it…" Ryou sighed and headed back upstairs, as two boys came trudging into the dining room.

"She's yelling so loud I can't even think straight! I don't know how Ginny can sleep through it !" One with red hair that matched the Weasley twins complained, "I'm gonna kill Fred and George when I see them."

"You have to give them some credit though," The other boy with messy black hair and glasses mused, "Those detonators are brilliant.."

"Harry, Ron," Hermione said, "I'd like you to meet Yugi Muto."

The two boys looked up at Yugi with bleary eyes, and blinked once to make sure they weren't still asleep.

"Wow," The redhead said impressed, "Is that-"

"Yes." Yugi said cutting him off. Somewhere in the back of his mind he could hear a certain Pharaoh snickering at his hikari.

"Nice to meet you Yugi," The black haired boy said, "I'm Harry Potter, and that's Ron."

Yugi smiled and nodded, and thought for a moment that he caught a glimpse of mild confusion in Harry's eyes, but dismissed the thought as another redheaded woman came in to the room with an exhausted Ryou trailing behind.

"I thought those wretched things would never stop going off!" She sighed with relief, "When I get my hands on those two- Oh Yugi dear! You're awake! I'm Mrs. Weasley, Ron's mother, and responsible for those two miscreants as well…How about I get a bit of breakfast going? Harry, Ron you two should go get dressed for breakfast. Poor dear, you look so thin! All that time without a proper meal…"

Her voice trailed off as she hurried to the kitchen, and cooking sounds and smells began to drift through the house. Harry and Ron headed upstairs, while Hermione began to set the table. Mokuba jumped out from under the table where he was playing with Crookshanks to help her with the stack of plates. Mrs. Weasley was only gone for a few minutes, before she returned holding several fat envelopes in her hand.

"Letters have arrived everyone!" She declared happily, "I suppose that means I'll be needing to make a trip to Diagon Alley then. Hermione, would you be a dear and take these up to Ron and Harry? I'm sure they'll be wanting them."

A sudden pang of realization hit Yugi when he saw Mrs. Weasley with the parchment envelopes. They had all left Domino with little more than the clothes on their backs. Everything they had been planning on bringing with them, including their letters, had been in suitcases in the backroom of the shop, which was now little more than a heap of charred wood and ash.

"And here's letters for you four as well!" Mrs. Weasley said happily, "Dumbledore must have figured you didn't have yours and sent extras here. Wonderful man."

"And where exactly are we supposed to get all of this stuff?" Kaiba asked skeptically, "I doubt many bookstores are going to be carrying…The Standard Book of Spells, Grade 5, by Miranda Goshawk?"

"Oh we'll be able to find everything you'll need in Diagon alley," Mrs. Weasley laughed , "Don't you worry. We'll have a bit of breakfast, then we'll get you all squared away for school."

----

Gotc: Blegh…

Ace: You didn't like this chapter?

Gotc: It felt redundant…necessary…but redundant. Not a whole lot on Harry and the gang in this chappie, but this is mainly going to be written from the POV of our beloved YGO chars. Anyway, I promise the next chappie will be better. I mean come on, Bakura in Diagon Alley? That one practically writes itself. Anyway, I'll try to post that one sooner and not make you all wait so long. Thanks for reading, remember to review, and I'll se you all next chappie!!


	10. If Looks Could Kill

Gotc: Wow, I actually had to do some research for this one. Part of the reason this is almost a month late. On a lighter note, I could walk Diagon Alley with my eyes closed. Sorry folks, life kinda smacked me upside the head, so this fic got pushed to the backburner. But I'm back so we'll be able to get things moving again!

Ace: So does that mean this chapter will be, oh I don't know, _interesting?_

Gotc: Does disemboweling you count?

Ace: You've been watching way too much House.

Gotc: True, but when there's a 24 hour marathon, you can't help but get sucked in. But enough with my newfound obsessions. Let us venture on into the wonderful realm of fanfiction where this chappie resides! And your tour for this evening shall be none other than: Squeaky the Whale!

Squeaky: Squeak! (Hi there everyone! My name is Squeaky and I'll be your guide through this chappie! Please note Gotc owns neither Harry Potter or Yu-gi-oh. The creature currently stuffing his face with Christmas party snacks is an Aceus Idiotus, and is a personal foot slave to Gotc.)

Ace: MURHMH!

Gotc: It'll be a while before he can swallow. So let's just get this fic moving while our human squirrel stuffs away more food for the winter.

Ace: MURHMH!

Gotc: Yeah, yeah…No one cares. Enjoy the fic!

------

_Harry Potter and the Order of the Rising Dragon_

CHAPTER 9: If Looks Could Kill

"How come they get to leave the house?!"

The same question had been asked roughly 26 times and by almost every other member of the house as the teens from Domino prepared to buy school supplies.

"Who's gonna be in charge? Ikle Ronnie the Prefect?" Fred complained, "We had stuff we needed to buy!"

"So you could make more of those ears I found?" Mrs. Weasley huffed gathering the four teens around the door, "No, you know perfectly well that we only leave this house when absolutely necessary. I'll buy you whatever you need-"

"Then why do they get to leave?!" Fred and George chorused again.

"Because they need to be fitted for robes, get their wands, and a mirade of other things that I just can't do for them!" Mrs. Weasley shouted at her sons, "Now I don't want to hear another word about it! Gather round the door boys, we'll be leaving in just a moment- oh, where did I leave my bag?"

Fred and George seized the opportunity to slink over to Malik, while their mother hunted for a bag that was resting comfortably in a trunk on the second floor.

"Malik my friend," George said quietly, "since you are one of the lucky few who gets to enjoy a day on the town, how would you like to pick up a few things for us in exchange of a little extra spending money?"

Malik narrowed his eyes at the twins, while his mind was turning with the possibility of just what it was they would be asking him to get. Still, Malik wasn't one to pass up a chance at causing a little extra chaos, and it never hurt to have a few spare coins hanging around in his pockets.

"What do you need?" He asked with a grin that would have done the Grinch proud.

"Bubotubers," Fred said quickly, hearing his mother's footsteps again, "They'll be in the potion shop, since you'll have to head there anyway. Here's the money, and a bag to keep them in after since they tend to have a bit of an odor and we don't want dear old mum to know about this right?"

"Sure," Malik nodded, taking the items and stuffing them in his jacket just as Mrs. Weasley re-entered the room with her bag.

"I finally found this locked in a trunk upstairs," She huffed, waving the offending item at her boys, "And in your room. Any idea how it got there?"

"Honestly mother," George rolled his eyes, "You expect us to keep track of your things too?"

"Next she'll be having us hunt for dad's glasses George," Fred laughed as the two made their way out of the room.

Mrs. Weasley's suspicious gaze followed them even after the twins had disappeared from view, but she only shook her head and turned back to her four charges.

"Well then, shall we be off?" She asked a bit more cheerfully, before opening the front door and hearding the teens onto the front step.

It was more than a tight squeeze crowding five people onto one door step, fortunately since one of them was slightly vertically impaired (as a certain Egyptian was kind enough to point out) they did manage it in the end. Kaiba pointed out that there would be enough room if they simply stepped down to the next step, but Mrs. Weasley only seemed to think such an idea was silly.

"Now," She said, grabbing a firm hold on Ryou's shirt, "Everyone hold onto one another. Be sure you have a firm grip on the person next to you- come on now Seto take hold of Yugi there- Everyone holding onto someone? Good, and whatever you do, don't let go!"

The first time most of the group had apparated, Yugi had been unconscious and the others so preoccupied with escape no one was actually paying any attention to just how it felt to disappear from one place and reappear somewhere else.

The only thing comparable was the sensation of being surrounded by the Shadow Realm. The world around them suddenly became fuzzy as if someone had adjusted an old television set. It became difficult to breathe, like the air had suddenly become very thin. But just as quickly as it had happened, their surroundings came back into focus and it became much easier to breathe.

But where they were standing was far different than the door step they had just left. They were standing in a dusty alleyway that reeked of stale alcohol and garbage, and rats all scurried for cover at the sudden appearance of the five. The only other feature of the small back alley, was an old, weather-worn brick wall at the other end of the alley. Almost the same instant that solid ground re-materialized beneath their feet, Kaiba dropped Yugi's arm, like a hot coal and stalked away from him.

_//He's in a good mood.// _Yami chuckled, _//He didn't even throw in a back handed comment.//_

Yugi rolled his eyes, but chose not to respond to the sarcastic spirit. Instead, he watched Mrs. Weasley poke around at the old wall, testing each brick for some unknown reaction.

"If those bricks or something launch themselves at us," Malik mumbled, "Someone's going to the Shadow Realm."

"What?" Bakura jabbed in a voice just above a whisper, swapping control, "He who can control the minds of others has a problem with the element of surprise? No one could have ever guessed _that_ about you, especially not from the way you duel…"

"Can it Thief_,_" Malik hissed, accentuating the last word in Japanese, "I'm just wondering when things are going to stop jumping out at us from every direction."

Almost as if on cue, Mrs. Weasley let out a triumphant cry, as the wall began to fold in on itself, brick by brick, until it formed a magnificent archway. The tangled mass of vendors, customers and busy witches and wizards nearly clogged the narrow streets as they hurried about on their errands. Even Kaiba seemed to be at a loss for words as the group stood at this threshold to the wizarding world.

"Welcome to Diagon Alley!" Mrs. Weasley said cheerfully, bustling the teens through the archway as it collapsed again behind them, "Now we have quite a bit to buy today-"

"With what money?" Kaiba pointed out, "We didn't exactly have time to make any arrangements for traveling expenses before we were spirited away to fairy-tale land."

"Oh don't you worry about that dear!" Mrs. Weasley laughed, "Dumbledore has some money set aside for you al to buy your school things! Thoughtful man. We'll just stop off at Gringott's, and then we'll pick up your things."

"Grit-snots?" Malik asked skeptically, "What is that?"

"Gringott's? It's the wizard bank!" Mrs. Weasley said in that same motherly tone, "Sorry boys, I keep forgetting you're new to this whole experience. Don't worry, you'll get the hang of it soon enough!"

"Somehow," Ryou moaned passing a shop with a window full of assorted eyeballs, "I really doubt that."

-----

The Wizarding bank wasn't difficult to find, as it's snowy-white structure towered over every other building that lined the alley. It also appeared to be the biggest center of activity in the hidden marketplace. A steady stream of people poured from it's ornate bronze doorways, while another set of silver ones stood proudly open into the building's interior. As they drew closer, writing on the doors drifted into focus between the throngs of people.

"_Enter, stranger, but take heed_

_Of what awaits the sin of greed_

_For those who take, but do not earn,_

_Must pay most dearly in their turn._

_So if you seek beneath our floors_

_A treasure that was never yours,_

_Thief, you have been warned, beware_

_Of finding more than treasure there.''_

_((Ha.)) _Bakura scoffed, regarding the warning with a surge of excitement, _((Sounds like challenge instead of a warning if you ask me.))_

_//No one did Thief.// _Yami glared at the intangible Tomb Robber, //_This is an opportunity for your hikari as well as yourself. Don't go and ruin it so quickly.//_

_((Hey Marik!)) _Bakura called out to the Keeper's spirit, _((Did you hear me ask for his Highness's opinion?))_

Both Malik and Marik nearly choked on the laugh that erupted out of their throats, and barely managed to stifle it as Mrs. Weasley cast a suspicious look their way.

_(Knock it off Bakura,) _Ryou pleaded, _(Yami does have a point, and I'd like to be able to fit in-)_

_((Grow a spine and stop hiding behind the Pharaoh Yandoushi…))_ Bakura spat, but disappeared back into the Ring.

Yugi felt Yami's hackles go up, but stopped him before he could go after the Thief.

/_This is Ryou's battle Yami,_/ Yugi said, /_Let him fight it. Besides, he's stronger than I think we all give him credit for./_

"Stop talking to yourself, and get with the program Yugi," Kaiba said pushing his way past Yugi and into the building, and stopped short just inside the door.

But Kaiba was not the only one who had seemed to lose all motor function in their legs once they crossed the threshold of the massive building. Yugi ducked past Malik's prone form, and peered into the white marble halls. Wizards moved back and forth between the bank's booths, some disappearing down long corridors, others reemerging with fat sacks jingling at their sides. Yugi was almost certain he could hear Bakura scoff in utter disgust at such blatant displays of wealth. No doubt he would have been a rich man had Ancient Egypt been the same way.

But the real shock did not lay with the money floating around the room, instead, it was held with the creatures that ran the entire building. Goblins. Foul looking, and ill-tempered, were directing the entire operation. One sat behind each booth, while scores of others led the groups of witches and wizards down the corridors into the bowels of the structure.

"Wow….There _do_ exist things shorter than Yugi…" Came Malik's stunned response to the scene before them.

Mrs. Weasley didn't seem to be deterred by the diminutive bankers, and marched right up to the nearest one, almost dragging the four behind her. She cleared her throat, effectively catching one of the goblin's attention. It peered over the edge of it's desk, looking over its thinly-wrought spectacles with a look of distaste as it eyed the outlandish group.

"Can I help you?" It asked in a nasally deep voice, giving each of the teens a scornful look.

"Yes," Mrs. Weasley said in a matter-of-fact tone, "I'm here to collect the school funds for a Bakura, Ryou, Ishtar, Malik, Kaiba, Seto, and Muto, Yugi. They should have been sent by Albus Dumbledore."

"Yes…" The goblin scowled, before reaching under his desk and producing four small brown satchels and set them down on the desk with a clink, "I'll need to see your wand please…"

Mrs. Weasley pulled her wand with a flourish and presented it to the goblin who took it for only a moment before handing it back to her, along with the four bags of money. It took one last look at the four, as if to study them one more time before bidding them all a good day and beckoning to the next customers with one long finger. They were all glad to be able to leave that place, sticking close to the bustling Mrs. Weasley to find the fastest way out.

"Did any of that seem odd to you?" Ryou asked once they were heading down the bank's steps.

"What part? The fact Yugi could now be classified as a giant, or the creepy stares from that duel monster reject?" Malik replied.

"Ha ha.." Yugi said sarcastically, not quite able to shake the feeling that he had missed something behind those stares.

"Accepting a hand-out…" Kaiba growled under his breath, "My stocks would tank if my shareholders ever found out…"

"It's free money ," Malik laughed, "Call it a tax write-off or something."

"Boys," Mrs. Weasley cut in, "I have one quick errand to run, a few things I need to pick up for tonight. But if you'll wait for me there at Flourish and Botts, you can start picking up all of your books and I'll meet you there in a few minutes."

"Sure," Malik said pocketing the money, "Need any help?"

"No no dear," Mrs. Weasley laughed, tussling Malik's hair, "I'll only be a minute. Now you go on and I'll meet you all there!"

It took no time at all for Mrs. Weasley to be lost in the crowd of people hurrying through the streets, leaving the teens standing in front of the bookstore.

"Kiss-up," Kaiba scoffed, walking into the store, behind Yugi and Ryou.

"Flies and honey, Kaiba," Malik said in a sing-song voice edging away towards the neighboring store.

Unlike the pristine order of the bank, the bookstore was a chaotic jumble of paper, books, and strange enchantments that seemed to fly from the pages at an unwary reader. The man that seemed to be the owner was currently amongst a knot of patrons all demanding to be seen first. Kaiba strode straight into the middle of it, while Yugi and Ryou turned away and headed down a different aisle of books to avoid a fresh rush of people pouring into the store.

The books in the aisle could hardly be considered to be in good condition. The air smelled of musty paper, and the spines of many tomes were crumbling away into the dust that coated the shelves. Some had been rifled through, but many looked as if no one had disturbed their contents in hundreds of years.

"Ancient history," Ryou said reading a faded yellow label on one of the shelves, "I'm guessing this must not be a popular subject."

"Some one thinks it is," Yugi said, pointing to a dusty old table at the end of the aisle, covered in open books.

It seemed like there were nearly a dozen different languages, spanning every century since recorded time on that flimsy wooden worktable. There was a half-buried pad of note paper laying amongst a few of the books, with unintelligible writing strewn across it's surface. One tome in particular caught Yugi's eye, as a depiction of a familiar looking monster peeked through the pages. He could have almost sworn he could see the Mystical Elf looking at him from the pages, but as he reached out to spin the book around to get a better look, a rough hand slammed down on top of the tome. A man who looked as if he belonged in the college professor reject file stood before them. Yet another weathered old book was nestled under the crook of his arm, as he glared down at the teens with hard blue eyes burning with a cold rage.

"There's plenty of other books around here," He growled menacingly, pushing himself between Yugi and the book, "I'm sure you can find some that are interesting, and that don't already belong to other people."

"Sorry sir," Ryou quickly apologized, "We didn't know they had already been bought."

"And now you do," The man snapped, slamming the book shut behind him, and tossing the other onto the dusty stack, "So go on and waste someone else's time now that you're done wasting mine."

Yugi had to fight the urge to try and peer around the man's wiry frame, to just look at the book one last time, but his eyes caught for a moment with those cold blue ones. He looked at the ground hurriedly, and mumbled another apology, before both turned and beat a hasty retreat back down the aisle, felling those eyes boring holes in them all the way.

"Ryou?" Yugi whispered in an urgent voice, trying to shake off the tingling that was going on in the back of his head.

"Bakura and I saw it too," Ryou answered, "But did you see that other book he was carrying?"

"Yeah," Yugi nodded, "It had the Eye of Horus on the cover. I think it had to do with the Millennium items."

//_Yugi,_//A worried voice echoed in his mind.

/_Yeah? What's wrong?/_

_//I….I think I've seen that man before.//_

_-----_

Gotc: IMSORRYIMSORRYIMSORRY!!! Hopefully that cliffe will sorta-kinda make up for that horribly long wait all of you so faithfully endured!!! More updates coming up soon, as well as getting further into a thickening plot! Please bear with me, you're reviews are what keep this fic alive! Remember to give me that feedback, and I'll so you all next chappie!!


	11. Conflicting Magics

Gotc: Oooookay….So I'm guessing there are more than a few people out there who are upset with me for the cliffe?

Ace: What tipped you off? The angry reviews or the mob outside your window?

Gotc: I could always use you as a human shield.

Ace: They're not mad at me.

Gotc: Yet….

Ace: What do you mean "yet"? WHAT DID YOU DO-

Gotc: Alrighty! While he rants, lets roll on with our disclaimer! Squeaky!

Squeaky: Squeak! (HAHAHAHA!!! I can't believe she actually did that! Anyway, no ownage of HP or YGO here. Look somewhere else to steal it.)

Ace: Is someone going to tell me what's going on, preferably before it hits me in the face like a dead fish?

Gotc: Nope, simply because that particular mental image amuses me greatly. Instead we shall go on to the fic! Enjoy!

--------

_Harry Potter and the Order of the Rising Dragon_

CHAPTER 10: Conflicting Magics

Yugi stopped dead in the aisle they had just run around, trying to focus on the words that had just come through his link. In his mind's eye, he could see the usually confident Pharaoh standing in the threshold of his soul room staring off into space with a look of total loss on his face. Yugi looked at him, not sure how to ask the question to a man who had no memory of his life until three years ago.

/_Are….you sure?_/ Yugi asked tentatively, looking over his shoulder as if the man was still there for scrutiny, /_He's not just someone we might have dueled? A fan in the crowd?_/

//_No offence aibou,_// Yami said with a uneasy chuckle, //_But that man didn't exactly look like he was our biggest fan…No…It's…different, somehow._//

"Yugi!" Ryou hissed, from the other end of the aisle, "Come on!"

((_What do you think has the Pharaoh's mini-me so frazzled?))_

_(At the moment, Bakura? I don't care.) _Ryou said flatly, (_I just want to put as much space between us and that guy as possible.)_

_((What's your rush Yandoushi?)) _Bakura scoffed, ((_He asked us to leave, we did. He's got no reason to come after us.))_

_(You don't seriously think that whatever he was looking at on that table was important at all? I find it hard to believe that you didn't get rough with a few innocent people just because they stumbled onto the plans for your next heist.)_

_(( Different era. Besides, not one book on that table was from the same country, half of them not even written in the same century. Greek, Sumerian, Chinese. My guess, he's some crazy, wash-out professor re-living the glory days of when he was a young archeologist, and morning the treasure he never found.))_

_(Where did you learn to read all of those languages?)_

_((The Pharaoh isn't the only one with a complex background you know….))_

Ryou rolled his eyes, and called to Yugi again, this time catching the teen's attention. Ryou watched Yugi cast one last glance back over his shoulder, before finally trotting up to rejoin his friend.

"What happened back there?" Ryou asked, as they broke back out into the busier section of the store, "You kind of spaced."

"Yeah well…" Yugi hesitated, "It's….well….weird."

"Yugi," Ryou sighed, "We both have a 3,000 year old artifacts from one of the darkest times in Egypt's history. We both have been to a realm where duel monsters come to life, and magic can steal peoples souls from their body. And do I even need to mention the fact that you have the spirit of a Pharaoh inside your head, while the Tomb Robber in mine has sworn to eventually kill him? What in Ra's name could have just happened that is weirder than anything else that goes on in our daily lives?"

"Ok…" Yugi admitted, "I meant weird for us."

"Well?" Ryou asked.

"Yami…." Yugi hesitated, "He thinks he's seen that guy before."

"So?" Ryou said puzzled, "Maybe he has. It's not like you guys have never left Domino before. Even I get fan letters from the Battle City footage."

"No you don't understand," Yugi tried to explain, "He _remembers _him."

Ryou's eyes widened as Yugi's words sank in. He muttered something unintelligible, trying to block out the shouting going on in the back of his head.

_((WHAT DO YOU MEAN 'HE REMEMBERS"?)) _Bakura bellowed at the Pharaoh

_//Exactly what I say Thief!//_ Yami shouted back.

((_It's impossible! The spell that bound your name also wiped your memories!)) _Bakura tried to rationalize, ((_It's not like you hit your head and one day everything comes back to you!))_

_//Work on your listening skills Thief,// _Yami growled, massaging his temples, //_I said I remembered him, not who he is, or how I know him. Remember isn't exactly the word for it even. He's just….familiar somehow. And why do you care anyway?//_

_((I care,)) _Bakura spat, _((Because the same magic that binds your name and memories also binds the ruler of the shadows to the Shadow Realm. If one begins to decay, so does the other. Which in case you have a hard time comprehending that, it's not a good thing….for you at least.))_

Yugi and Ryou exchanged uneasy glances at one another, each hoping their respective yamis didn't try to kill each other before they could figure out what exactly was going on.

/_Bakura?/_ Yugi mused, /_What if the magic isn't decaying? What if some other magic is interfering with it? Remember the Oricalcos? Besides, we have kinda been in and around plenty of strange magic lately./_

_((Nothing potent enough to break through hat kind of sealing spell,)) _Bakura shook his head, _((The Oricalcos' magic was almost as old as time itself. There's not much that wouldn't have been affected by it. Besides, anything strong enough to start unraveling that spell, intentional or otherwise, has bad news written all over it anyway.))_

"Great…." Yugi moaned rubbing his head. In the space of a week, his entire life had been turned upside down, and now the one person the thought he could count on for some stability was going through a major crisis of his own, "We'll it's not like we don't know the whole 'Look out for the maniac who wants to take over the world' routine."

"True," Ryou sighed in agreement, "I guess we should try to find Malik and Kaiba."

Before they could start to look for their friends, Kaiba found them. The CEO was carrying a large stack of books, and had several bulging out of a bag slung across his shoulders. Both eyes were blazing furiously, as he literally slammed the massive stack down onto the nearest table.

"Where in the hell have you been?!" Kaiba shouted, barely audible above the din of the crown behind him, "Do you have any idea how fast this place is selling out of these books?! Some lady almost hit me in the head with this glowing yellow rock to get these!"

"Sorry Kaiba!" Yugi apologized, "We got sidetracked and- Wait, did you buy our books too?"

"Yes, and these were the last ones until Monday," Kaiba said with a satisfied smirk.

"But….That's not like you to do something nice," Ryou said confused.

"True," Kaiba agreed, "But every good businessman knows where there's good opportunity."

"So what do you want?"

"Double what I paid."

"WHAT?!"

"Take it or leave it, because these are the last ones in the store."

Yugi and Ryou looked at Kaiba with a dumbfounded look, but realized they were in no position to be arguing with him, since they did need the books. Both quietly shelled out the money into Kaiba's waiting hand, while Bakura laughed all the while, much to Ryou's annoyance.

_((Well, well!)) _The former Thief chuckled, ((_The Priest makes a pretty good thief himself, wouldn't you say Host?))_

_(Shut up Bakura…)_

Kaiba quickly counted the money and dropped the coins into his satchel, and handed the two their books with a triumphant grin on his face. He went to pick the rest of the stack up, when he realized there were more books left than he should have.

"Wait," Kaiba said turning back to the others, "Where's the other mental ward patient?"

"Malik?" Yugi said, "Well I thought he was with you. You two were talking when we came into the store."

"Yeah, but then he vanished," Kaiba growled looking around the store, "I thought he went with you two!"

"Aww….You guys _do _care!" Malik's voice cut in

Everyone turned with a start to see Malik grinning like a Cheshire cat, and laughing his head off at the scare he had just given his friends. A tangible wave of relief ran through the group, as Malik casually leaned against the table.

"And where have _you_ been?" Kaiba asked, dolling out the books to the other two.

"Running a quick errand," Malik shrugged, "Nothing huge."

"Then what's in the bag?" Kaiba said pointing to the shabby sack hanging over the Tomb Keeper's shoulder.

"Like I said, it was a quick errand," Malik said, leaning over and snatching one stack of books off of the table, "Which is English for 'it's really none of your business'."

Kaiba was about to protest when the familiar form of Mrs. Weasley came bustling through the throng of people. It only took her two seconds despite how many people were packed into the bookstore for her to spot her charges, for obvious reasons. The group tended to stick out like sore thumbs, usually to their dismay, and today was no different. Malik threw a smug grin in Kaiba's direction as Mrs. Weasley caught up to them.

"Oh good! You boys already have your books!" She said checking the books in the boys' arms, "I was worried there might not be any left judging by how many people are in here! Well, why don't we head over to Olivander's and get you boys a wand? It will at least let these shops clear out a bit in the meantime."

All of them perked up at the idea of getting their own wands, but that didn't stop Kaiba from leveling a death glare at Malik as they all made their way out the door.

((_You are going to tell me what you and your hikari found?))_

_[[You ever thought I wouldn't?]] _Marik scoffed, feigning insult, _[[I'll show you later when there aren't so many prying eyes about.]]_

_---_

After the close-quarters of the book store, even the tiny wand shop felt enormous. The old dust and the musty sent of several kinds of wood was the first thing to assail their senses as the groups stepped inside the dimly lit store. Dusty shelves lined with boxes were hardly visibly through the grey film that seemed to cover every surface. But the wiry man with wild grey hair that seemingly materialized from around those same shelves completed the scene.

"Ah Mrs. Weasley, good to see you again." The old man said in a whispery voice, "How's you son's wand holding up?"

"Very well Mr. Olivander," Mrs. Weasley said pleasantly, before pulling Yugi in front of her, "But I'm actually here to get these boys set up with their first wands."

The old wandmaker said nothing, but did walk around the counter to get a better look at Yugi. He looked him over from head to toe with a gaze that seemed to go straight through to his very soul. And with Mrs. Weasley standing right behind him, there was no way to avoid his scrutiny. Then, Mr. Olivander abruptly turned around and hurried back to his shelves and immediately began to shuffle through the masses of boxes. At last he seemed to find the one he was looking for, and pulled it out of the dusty box.

"Here we are, Aspen 9 ¾ inches with a unicorn hair core," He said presenting the wand to Yugi, "Go on! Take it and give it a wave."

Yugi looked at the wand hesitantly, before grasping the waiting handle. Almost instantly he could feel the strange magic laying dormant within the wand in his hand. He gave the wand a little flick and sent an innocent teapot into the front window, barely missing Ryou's head.

"Sorry!" Yugi apologized, replacing the wand quickly.

"Not your fault dear boy!" Mr. Olivander said with a chuckle, "One rarely finds their wand on the first try! Here, try this one!"

After a half hour of destruction and nearly fifty wands, Yugi was beginning to feel a little discouraged. He had the fleeting urge to suggest that maybe the Millennium Puzzle had something to do with his difficulty to find a wand, but Mr. Olivander was insistent, so he said nothing.

"Hrrmmm…." Mr. Olivander said looking over Yugi again, "Perhaps I've been going about this the wrong way….yes…..perhaps that might work…."

Yugi looked at the others for some kind of clue as to what the old man might have meant, only to receive similar confused looks. When the old man did return, he carried an ornate wooden box, inlaid with thin lines of gold lettering that was nearly intelligible though the layers of ancient dust and grime. With a tender hand, the old wandmaker lifted the lid and pulled out the wand laying inside. He presented it to Yugi as if it were a precious gem. Yugi gingerly grasped the handle and felt the familiar surge of magic, but this time rather than the strange feeling he had gotten from the other wands, this one seemed to resonate within his very being.

//_This magic is very old…//_ Yami said quietly, appearing next to Yugi although still wearing a conflicted look on his face.

Yugi nodded despite himself, and took a firmer hold on the wand's end. He gave the wand a confident flick and a shower of golden sparks erupted from the wand's tip. Yugi could feel the magic roar to life, and only on a sudden impulse to hide the Puzzle did he keep the rest of the shop from seeing it shine brightly in harmony with this new magic. Mr. Olivander clapped his hands together in joy as the light from Yugi's wand died away.

"Brilliant! Absolutely brilliant!" He said happily taking the wand back from Yugi and replacing it back in it's box before handing it back to him.

"What's in it?" Yugi asked, looking at the box in his hands.

"It's a Rowan wand, 10 inches and good and sturdy," Mr. Olivander said, "But it's _core_! Now that's the interesting part! Bennu feather and dragon heartstring, both with origins in Egypt. A blue phoenix and red dragon. Interesting indeed! Come on now, let's get to the next one."

Yugi still stood in mild shock as Ryou was pushed forward for the wandmaker's inspection. The old man's eyes lit up as soon as he saw Ryou and he went running to the back of his shop. Yugi caught the barest rolling of Ryou's eyes and could only guess what the Tomb Robber thought of the shopkeeper. In no time, he came back with another inlaid box.

"Now, let's see if you're like your friend…" He said opening the box, and motioned for Ryou to take the wand.

Ryou took the red and white wand from the old man, only to have it spark as Yugi's had almost as soon as his fist closed around the handle.

"How strange!" Olivander cried, dashing to the back for another set of boxes.

"Wait!" Ryou called after him, "What's in mine?"

"Alder, inflexable 11 inches with a unicorn hair and a crystallized boomslang venom core," Mr. Olivander said rushing back to the front with two more boxes in his arms, "Truly a wand of clashing magics! Here you two take these! Come on now!"

The same result happened as soon as skin brushed against the smooth polished wood. The sparks from the two wands nearly scorched the hair off of the old wandmaker's head.

"Oh forgive me! Lad," He said pointing to Malik, "Your wand, dogwood, 10 ¾ inches, supple with a Demiguise hair and a golden dragon heartstring core. And you! Kaya wood, 12 inches, rigid with a hippogrif feather and a white dragon heartstring. Magnificent!"

"And how much is this going to cost us?" Kaiba asked, nonchalantly stuffing the wand into his bag.

"Nothing at all!" Mr. Olivander said still bustling excitedly around his shop, "Seeing those wands bond to wizards! I never thought I'd live to see the day!"

"Why Mr. Olivander! Are you sure?" Mrs. Weasley exclaimed

"Quite, quite! Now go on! I'm sure you still have much to do!" Olivander said almost shooing them out of his store, "And thank you!"

---

_[[Anyone else find that odd?]] _Marik said after the door had shut behind them.

_((The old man must have hit his head too hard on one of those shelves)) _Bakura dismissed it as they continued down the busy street.

//_And you're going to tell me that neither of you felt that magic? How potent it was? Or the fact that the 'red and golden dragon heartstrings' sound suspiciously like Slifer and Ra?// _Yami put in.

((_You're seeing people that you think existed 3000 years ago. I don't think your mentally competent enough to make that assumption.))_

_[[Much as I hate to admit it Thief,]] _Marik said, _[[The Pharaoh does have a point. How many red and gold dragons do we know of? Besides, the old man was acting strange as well.]]_

_((Fine, so one crazy old man has a couple of old wands that are possibly connected to Egypt.)) _Bakura shrugged, ((_Coincidences do occasionally happen.))_

_//Not to us Thief. Not to us.//_

Neither spirit or hikari noticed the old man's gaze following them through the dusty window, until they were lost once more in the sea of people.

-----

Gotc: Sorry everyone. I was grounded and had meh lappy taken away for two weeks, hence the delay in this chappie. Sorry….. Anyway I do have some good news for you all! Next chapter, prepare to board the train, cause we're going to Hogwarts!!! And I promise, this next chapter won't take so long to get up. By the way, remember to review, especially cause I'd like to hear what you think the significance of each wand our heroes received might be! See ya soon!


	12. All Aboard!

Gotc: Well college started Monday....

Ace: Which means you can now goof-off in a public institution, instead of a state-mandated one!

Gotc: Quiet you. Anyway, so with a new chapter of my life beginning, I've decided to go ahead and celebrate with a new chapter of this fic!

Random Readers: Yay.

Gotc: Yes….thank you for that outpouring of support…..Shall we move to the chappie now? SQUEAKY!

Squeaky: Squeak! (Come on people, go rob your ideas from other places.)

Gotc: Indeed. Time for the fic! Enjoy! As an added note: This is during the 5th Harry Potter book, and just before the Millenium World arc.

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_Harry Potter and the Order of the Rising Dragon_

CHAPTER 11: All Aboard!

The sun was beginning its slow decent beneath the horizon by the time the small band of shoppers made it back to the Order's headquarters. Night gave the old building a new look that almost seemed welcoming compared to the dilapidated place they knew by day. It was a needed change to come back to a familiar place after all of the turmoil of the afternoon. The weary teens stepped through the threshold and into the dusty apartment, each dropping their packages the second they were through.

However, there was no rest for them, as the house's other occupants swarmed the retuning group. Ron was the first at his mother's side, gingerly taking the long package from her with all the tenderness as if it had been a newborn child. Fred and George made a brief appearance, just long enough for them and Malik to vanish into some other room of the house. Yugi wanted nothing more than to just lie down for a while; a splitting headache had been growing just behind his eyes ever since their encounter with the man back in the bookstore. Both he and Ryou had decided to keep the Pharaoh's revelation a secret for the time being. Until they were sure exactly what kind of magic they were dealing with, there was no reason to worry the others.

Still, the throbbing seemed to cancel out all other life around him, and he only vaguely heard Mrs. Weasley announce a party to celebrate Ron and Hermionie's new prefect status. He did want to join in the party, help out and congratulate There were voices everywhere that seemed to bore straight through his skull, and the preparations for the party were only making it worse. Holding one hand to the side of his head, Yugi slowly made his way up the stairs and flopped into his bed. Another stab of pain shot through his head, and Yugi clamped both hands to his temples. The excited voices from downstairs were slowly making their way up the stairs and through the very floorboards to torment him.

He tried pulling a pillow over his head, but it did little to muffle the noise, but to no avail. The throbbing had now reached the point where it felt like his head was about to split open, and so Yugi retreated to the last place he could, his soul room.

There was more than one occasion when Yugi had been grateful for the magic of the Puzzle, this was one of them. It had been unnerving the first time he had experienced getting a look "inside of his own head" as Jonouchi had so eloquently put it once. He knew his mind was far different from almost everyone else on the planet, save for two others in the rooms below him. Part of that had to do with the fact that the realm that represented his soul, was split in two. On one side, a brightly lit room with an entrance wide open and welcoming, while on the other side, a heavy iron door stood as a foreboding obstacle to those unfamiliar to such a place. Yugi had once been a little afraid of what had lain beyond that threshold, but now he saw it in a much different light.

Within his own mind, he could feel the pain slowly begin to ebb away, although he was still dimly aware of it, like it was far-off rather than clawing at the inside of his skull. But as the pain receded, a new feeling came into sharp relief. Confusion, anxiety, anger, even hopelessness seemed to wash over Yugi like a massive tidal wave. It only took a moment's thought to realize where the feelings were rushing from, as he peeked out of his soul room. The iron door across the hall hadn't bothered him in a long time, in recent years, it had even become a symbol of strength for him that he could draw from when he was at his lowest. But looking at it now, it was as if it had become strange and alien to him, as he reached out and gave it a light push.

He knew he'd meet no resistance, no matter how strange it was, Yugi knew the door would always be open for him. What he didn't know, or had been expecting, were the countless scrolls strewn across the worn alabaster floor of his darker half's soul room. Tentatively, Yugi reached down and picked one up, only to find the papyrus' surface shabby, but blank. The story was the same for a dozen others he scanned through, and looked as if the entire floor was covered with nothing but rolls of the stuff, each one void of any marks whatsoever.

A frustrated yell and a fresh wave of pain through his head confirmed Yugi's suspicion of his headache, and left the empty scrolls in search of the voice's owner. It didn't take long for him to find the Pharaoh stooped over an ancient stone table littered with the same blank sheets of papyrus he'd found earlier. Around him stood stone shelves carved into the very walls of his room that once held the scrolls that now resided on the table and floor. Only a relatively small collection remained in place on one of the shelves, and Yugi had a fairly good idea what they contained. He reached out to look at one, when Yami lashed out in frustration, and swept his arm over the table's surface and pushed the useless scrolls to the floor. Still not satisfied, he slammed one fist down onto the table, making Yugi wince in sympathy.

"You know, in many countries I think that would be considered littering Yami," Yugi called out in a half-hearted joke.

Yami abruptly spun on his heels, so lost in his own thoughts he had not heard Yugi's approach.

"Ra Yugi!" Yami breathed in relief, "You scared me half to death."

"I certainly hope not," Yugi chuckled, "You've got one foot in the tomb already."

"Technically, I'm a spirit sharing your body, so it's really your foot."

"Good point," Yugi laughed a little, but stopped when the spirit didn't join him.

Yugi walked over to the table next to his yami, trying to decipher the turmoil rolling across his face.

"Why did I do it Aibou?" Yami sighed, shaking his head and slowly starting to pick up the disgruntled scrolls, "What on this Earth would have forced me to result to a spell with such cost? We've fought the Shadows before, there's always another way to send them back. But instead my name, my memories, my identity….Gone."

Yugi figured something like this would have happened sooner or later. For years, the Pharaoh's only concern was protecting his lighter half, never one turning a thought to himself. Sure, he'd talked about it, they both had, but until today the realization of how little they really did know about his past had never truly hit home.

"I don't know," Yugi said truthfully, "But you've never done something without a good reason. Whatever happened, I'm sure you made the right choice."

"What if Bakura's right though?" Yami groaned rubbing the bridge of his nose, "What if the magic is coming undone and the world is put at risk again?"

"That's really nothing new for us." Yugi said trying to lighten the mood

"But what if it's my fault?" Yami shouted in frustration, "I get my memories back, and the world gets a dark lord that nearly destroyed mankind. I get what I want, only for the rest of the world to suffer."

Yami glanced at Yugi with a weary look in his crimson eyes. The entire world might have well been bearing down on him. Yugi was taken aback, unable to find any words to console the despairing king. In his mind, he saw the catch-22 that was the cause of his darker half's inner turmoil. Their conflict with Dartz still stung like an open wound, and even though the Atlantean King had been under an evil influence, his tale of an evil Pharaoh no doubt still hung with him.

"Wanting to remember who you were doesn't make you a bad person Yami," Yugi said resting a hand on the Pharaoh's shoulder, "I promised you that I would help you get your memories back, and I'll help you do it without bringing the world down around us. You said it yourself right? There's always another way."

Yugi saw a thin smile cross his yami's face, and a wave of relief wash through their link. It felt so strange having their roles reversed, Yugi offering advice and wisdom to a troubled Yami.

"You're right aibou," Yami said, his usual confidence edging back into his voice, "Forgive me, I did not mean to worry you."

"S'alright," Yugi said shrugging it off with a grin, "It was your worrying that was giving me the headache."

The tension gone, Yugi felt the weariness creeping back into his body and couldn't quite manage to stifle the yawn that built in his chest. It seemed like an entire year had been crammed into a single day, and now it had finally caught up to him.

"Get some sleep Yugi," Yami chuckled, "You have a big day tomorrow."

"You too, Yami," Yugi yawned again, this time not bothering to hide it, "I'll see you in the morning."

"Oyasuminasai," Yami called after his hikari as he walked away, then added in a voice hardly above a whisper, "And thank you."

------

The first thing to assail Yugi's senses was not the gentle caress of the sun's first rays. It was not the smell of a farewell breakfast cooking on the stove. Nor was it the soft summer breeze that blew through his bedroom window back home. Instead, it was the sound of several voices all screaming at once, and one portrait shrieking at the top of it's lungs.

"- COULD HAVE DONE HER A SERIOUS INJURY, YOU IDIOTS -"

"- FILTHY HALF-BREEDS, BESMIRCHING THE HOUSE OF MY FATHERS -"

"Wow… If this isn't entertainment, I don't know what is." Malik's voice drifted in over the din.

Yugi quickly rubbed the sleep out of his eyes, and rolled out of bed, still groggy but feeling much better than he had the night before. The apparent lack of strange dreams was a bonus too. Malik was crouched by the door, peering out down the hall at the fray going on at the bottom of the stairs.

"What's going on?" Yugi asked, walking up behind him.

"The twins got their trunks to fly down the stairs and hit their sister on the way down," Malik snickered, "Two flights of stairs and six prefect somersaults. It was a work of art."

//_You have a horrible sense of humor, Keeper….//_ Yami scoffed, also waking up.

[[_Call it whatever you like Pharaoh,_]] Marik huffed, [[_But when those two get back up here, we're paying them good money to have another trunk fly down at the Priest. Even you'd have to admit watching the ever composed Seto Kaiba flail down a couple flights of stairs would be amusing._]]

//_Right up until he breaks his neck and we all have to go to the hospital._// Yami shook his head, //_And if those Dark Wizards know anything about us, that'll be the first place their watching, seeing as how we have a natural tendency to try and kill each other on a regular basis._//

"Point," Malik sighed, reluctantly getting up from his post and following Yugi to where their trunks were stacked and waiting.

The chaos of the house was even worse than it had sounded back in the relative safety of the room. People were rushing back and forth, bodies crashing into piled trunks, tables, lamps, bookcases and each other. And all of it was topped off by the continued shrieking of the portrait upstairs. Almost the instant their feet touched the last stair, Ryou hurried over to Yugi and Malik and forcefully grabbed a hold of Malik's collar.

"You left me here with these idiots and the Priest!" Bakura's voice hissed into the Tomb Keeper's ear, "If my hikari hadn't made me swear not to send these pathetic fools to the Shadows…."

"Well forgive me for trying to get the Priest knocked down a flight of stairs…."

"DON'T DO IT AGAIN!"

"Come on you lot!" Mrs. Weasley called out to them, "It's a twenty minute walk to the King's Cross and- SIRIUS FOR HEAVEN'S SAKE, NO!"

A massive black dog had just seemingly appeared out of nowhere, and was sitting next to Harry's feet with a doggy grin all over his face. Mrs. Weasley seemed to realize her protests were going to be in vain, and tossed her hands into the air exasperatedly before herding the group to the door . It was all Malik and Bakura could do not to burst out laughing when one of the trunks gave an unexpected jolt and knocked Kaiba to the floor. Yugi could have sworn he saw a couple of coins exchange hands, but was shoved through the door so quickly he didn't have time to be sure.

Blessed silence surrounded them, as the door to Number 13 Grimwald Place shut behind them. The screeches of the portrait were safely locked away behind a rapidly disappearing door that seemed to grow smaller with every step they put between themselves and the house. The dog that now accompanied them barked joyfully and ran in tiny circles chasing nothing more than his own tail and sunlight. Every now and again he would run off after a cat or squirrel that came too close and made such a show out of it the group couldn't help but laugh. As they drew closer to the train station, Yugi saw Kaiba stiffen slightly, and slowly pick up his pace to walk with the rest of the group.

"What's wrong Kaiba?" Yugi asked, instinctively glancing over his shoulder.

"We're being followed, and whoever it is, doesn't want us to know." Came the nearly inaudible reply.

"How do you know?"

"You're kidding me right? You've been hunted almost every other day of your life since you beat Pegasus at his own twisted game on Duelist Kingdom."

"You do realize there are guards hiding to keep an eye on us right?" Malik cut in.

"Much as I hate to admit it," Bakura said, after checking the Ring, "He is right. Another robed man on a roof top about three blocks away and closing. Of course, it wouldn't be too much of a problem to get rid of him-"

"We're supposed to be laying low," Yugi said, "If he had any plans to attack us, he would have done it by now, not wait until there are hundreds of witnesses. Our best bet is to go to this Hogwarts until we know who we're dealing with. Not engage them ourselves."

"You don't give us nearly enough credit Yugi," Bakura scoffed, "He'd never even know what hit him."

"His boss would!" Yugi snapped, "And he's already blown up my house, so what do you think he'll do if we attack one of his men?"

"Everything ok dears?" Mrs. Weasley asked, hearing the raised voices.

"Oh, it's nothing," Malik lied quickly, "Kaiba here just thinks he can beat me in a Duel. Anyway, what's Hogwarts like?"

They had to Malik credit. He certainly knew how to completely de-rail a conversation. Mrs. Weasley never skipped a beat as she, as well as Ginny and Hermione more than obligingly launched into a full-blown explanation of the school that would be their home for the next several months. The rest of the boys rolled their eyes and glanced at the others with a playful look of mock disgust.

"He's just opened Pandora's box!" Ron moaned, "Hogwarts is Mum's second favorite subject in the world!"

"Don't forget Miss Shiny Prefect," Fred winked, "I'll bet she could give Mum a run for her money on the topic. Hogwarts, a History Revised by Hermione Granger."

"Oh grow up," Ginny huffed, catching the boy's conversation between breaths.

Malik looked over his shoulder, his eyes pleading for help from the onslaught of jittering about how much fun he was going to have, and the collection of fond memories of the past. Bakura only laughed at his friend's plight, wondering if karma could be any sweeter. Fortunately for Malik, the King's Cross had only been another block away, and it was so packed with busy businessmen, families retuning home from vacations, and leaving to go home, that talking about any sort of magic would have been impossible without someone overhearing them.

The group at last approached platforms nine and ten, but looked between the two trains and saw muggles piling into both. The teens exchanged looks of confusion, before Fred and George took off running at the barrier between the platforms at full speed. The crash they had been expecting never did come, as the twins suddenly seemed to melt into the brick surface and disappear.

"Your turn dears," Mrs. Weasley said nudging Bakura and Kaiba towards the barrier.

"You're telling me I have to walk into a brick wall if I want to get on this train?" Kaiba scoffed.

"Actually it's best if you do it at a bit of a run," Mrs Weasley said giving the C.E.O. another good nudge.

Kaiba gave Mrs. Weasley the kind of dumbfounded look that only a seasoned CEO of a multimillion dollar company could. She however, seemed not to notice as she prodded them both closer to the threshold as if the motion would get the two started on their way. Bakura merely shrugged and took a deep breath, as if he were about to dive off of the edge of a cliff.

"Maybe that's what this school is," The Thief King muttered under his breath, "You knock yourself into a coma and wake up thinking you know magic. What the hell, I've never terrorized someone in a hospital…"

Kaiba muttered something under his breath that sounded something to the effect of 'I can't believe I'm about to do this', as the two took off at a light jog at the brick divider, despite every neuron in their brain screaming at them to stop. But instead of being thrown back to the ground with a severe concussion, both Kaiba and Bakura disappeared into the brick, just as Fred and George had before them. Yugi and Malik needed no prodding to dash after their friends, mainly out of concern, and partly to see if _someone_ had fallen flat on their face.

After the Order's headquarters, the idea of a hidden railroad platform had inspired the illusion of some rundown, underground subway type boarding area to get on this mythical train that was supposed to take them to the school. People would have been always looking over their shoulders, afraid of some totalitarian police force storming in and putting an end to whatever system they had built for themselves. The four had been expecting some dank tunnel, maybe even mining cars all linked together for their transportation. No one had been expecting to walk out into bright daylight pouring in through the gilded ceiling, while a magnificent crimson engine stood at the ready while hundreds of students poured on board with parents waving good by.

They stood staring at the scene, as the rest of their caravan came through the barrier behind them. Mrs. Weasley said something to them, but neither of them actually registered what it was until Harry clapped Yugi on the back.

"Come on you guys," He chuckled, "All aboard the Hogwarts Express!"

-------------

Gotc: Well, this chapter took a bit of a turn I hadn't really been expecting. I kinda felt like I needed to address some of the stuff that had been happening to Yugi and Yami, hence our three page long psychiatrist scene. Anyway, we may actually be arriving at Hogwarts next chappie, and then we'll introduce my favorite little plot twist to the rest of our heroes! Chaos, mayhem and most likely a generous dose of sarcasm will ensue. Oh! BTW: I invite all of you to check out Phoenix Fire-Feather's C2 archive The Hogwarts Library. Phoenix has generously opened a forum thread for this story there, so if you would like to give me your input, give a suggestion, or maybe speculate about what kind of madness I'm gonna come up with in upcoming chapters, please check it out! I'll also try to post dates for chapter updates there too. So until next chappie, laters!


	13. SplitPersonalities

Gotc: NEW RECORD!!!

Ace: What, you actually getting off your butt long enough to write two chapters in the space of a week?

Gotc: And you wonder why I make your life so miserable.

Ace: Criticism builds character.

Gotc: And big heavy rocks break faces, but that's hardly the point. I'm sure the rest of you are tiredof this banter, so let's move on to our main attraction! Squeaky!

Squeaky: Squeak! (Keep moving thieves.)

Gotc: Remember while your reading to be thinking of that wonderful you will (hopefully) be posting at the end of this chapter. I promise it'll definitely be something to comment on! BUAHAHAHAHAHA!!!

-----

_Harry Potter and the Order of the Rising Dragon_

CHAPTER 12: Split-Personalities

The commotion and flurry of farewells and well wishes was nearly as frantic as it had been rushing to get out of the house. More than once, those waiting to board the train were caught up in a tearful hug by Mrs. Weasley, before she moved on to the next person lest she forget to say good bye to someone. Bakura had resorted to using his nails to scrape off the lipstick off of his cheek that felt as if it were nearly an inch thick, when the crimson engine's whistle bellowed a warning to those students still on the platform.

The big black dog that had accompanied them suddenly reared up on its hind legs and flopped its massive paws onto Harry's shoulders, before Mrs. Weasley shoved him off of Harry and shooed the group onto the train. Everyone rushed to an open window to wave good by, as the train gave a mighty lurch forward and began to roll down the tracks. The big black dog barked joyfully and bolted after the train as it picked up speed past the platform. Laughter could be heard for several cars, before the Express rounded a bend and everyone left on the platform vanished from view.

"So long everyone!" Fred said clapping Malik on the back, "George and I have a bit of business to discuss with Lee."

The twins gave a flourishing bow, before heading off into another car.

"I guess we should find a car too," Harry said picking up Hedwig's cage.

Ron and Hermione exchanged uncomfortable looks at one another, neither really wanting to speak.

"Actually Harry," Hermione said at last when it became apparent Ron was far too busy inspecting each of his fingernails, "Ron and I have to go to the Prefect Carriage and get our instructions from the Head Boy and Girl."

"Oh," Was all Harry found himself saying.

"It's not like I want to go," Ron muttered, "It's a real pain."

"Don't worry about it." Harry said forcing a grin to his face. He felt strangely empty watching the two walk away dragging their belongings behind them, leaving him to his first train ride without his friends. Then again, he'd never ridden with the new exchange students either. Malik was arguing with Ryou about something already, while Yugi and Kaiba stood by shaking their heads as if such an argument was a normal course of events.

"We should find a seat," Ginny pointed out, "Ron and Hermione can catch up with us later."

"Good idea," Harry said numbly, "Hey, did you guys want to sit with us?"

"Yeah thanks," Yugi nodded, "Guys, we're gonna go get a se…..GUYS!"

"Yell a little louder Yugi…" Ryou complained, "I don't think they heard you back on the platform."

Yugi shrugged, but turned to follow Harry and Ginny as they worked their way down the narrow aisle.

"Is there something different about Ryou?" Harry asked Ginny under his breath.

"They're all probably just nervous," Ginny said, "Now come on and let's find a seat."

Car after car, nearly every seat was filled, and Yugi couldn't help but notice the odd looks people were giving them behind the glass. When they came to the last carriage, there was another boy dragging his trunk along behind him, while struggling to keep his grip on a wriggling toad.

"Hey Harry, hey Ginny," He huffed, stopping as they met each other in the aisle, "Who are the new guys?"

"Exchange students," Yugi said bowing slightly, "Yugi Motou, and these are my friends Malik Ishtar, Ryou Bakura, and Seto Kaiba."

"Neville Longbottom," He responded, before his eyes flicked to their hair. "Um-"

"Yes." They all said in unison before he could finish the sentence.

"Oh."

"Neville, why don't you have a seat already?" Ginny asked trying to worm her way past him.

"I got here late, and everywhere else is full; I can't find a seat."

"That's ridiculous! There's plenty of room in here!" Ginny said, "Loony Lovegood's the only one in here."

Neville muttered something under his breath that the rest of them couldn't quite catch, but it was enough to make Ginny laugh.

"Don't be silly," she said, almost pulling him back, "She's quite alright."

Neville didn't seem so convinced, and started to fiddle with his toad nervously.

"Neville right?" Malik asked sliding up next to him, "Apart from the hair, my friends and I scare you?"

"N-no….not exactly," Came the shaky reply.

"Good," Malik said patting Neville on the shoulder as he passed, "Then there's nothing to worry about."

Ginny was the first one into the compartment, followed by the rest of the group as they cautiously poked their heads inside one by one. Scraggly blonde hair was the first feature to catch their attention, shortly followed by the necklace of strung corks that hung around this strange girl's neck.

"Hi Luna," Ginny said, "Mind if we take these seats?"

Luna looked up from behind the upside-down magazine that was in her hands and gave them all a long searching look, before nodding to them and going back to her magazine, although she kept glancing up at them from over the top of the rumpled pages.

"Had a good summer Luna?" Ginny asked sitting next to her.

"Yes," She said in almost a dream-like voice, "Interesting friends you have."

"We're exchange students from Japan," Yugi started to explain, "Except Malik, he's from-"

"Egypt," Luna finished before Yugi had the chance, "You're Yugi Motou. You all we're in the Battle City tournament."

"Wait, a second," Neville said with more life in his voice than they'd heard so far, "_The_ Yugi Motou? The undefeated King of Games?"

Kaiba gave a small snort of disgust, before turning to watch people pass by out in the aisle.

"Not entirely undefeated," Yugi said shyly, "But yeah. That's me."

"Wow! No wonder you guys are so good!" Neville exclaimed, "Wizards and game experts!"

"You have no idea…" Bakura muttered under his breath, before receiving an elbow to his side.

"Actually we didn't find out about the whole magic thing until last month," Yugi said.

"All the same! You guys are amazing!"

The compartment fell silent for what seemed like a painfully long time, as it continued to speed across the wide open countryside. Harry turned to look out the window at the scenery rolling past. Grey clouds hung in sharp contrast to the bright blue sky, looming like doomsayers for the future. The sun was quickly swallowed by them, plunging the train into the thin, pale light that managed to filter through the bleak atmosphere. But just before the last patch of blue was lost to the ominous clouds, he could have sworn he saw something silhouetted against the sky before it vanished into the murky cloud cover.

Harry rubbed his eyes and stared at the spot where the thing had disappeared, willing it to come back to get a better look at it to make sure he wasn't seeing things. But the thing never re-emerged, and before he could comment on it, Neville was the first one to break the silence.

"Hey, look at what I got for my birthday!" He said happily, before pulling out what had to be a small grey cactus with a bad case of boils covering its surface, "It's a Mimbulus mimbletonia! They're supposed to be really rare. I don't even think Hogwarts even has one!"

"Uh-huh…." Bakura said craning his neck for a better look at the grotesque plant, "And what exactly does it do?"

"Loads of stuff! Harry, hold Trevor for a moment," Neville said dumping the toad into Harry's lap,before taking out a quill and holding it a breath away from the plant's side.

Without any warning, Neville gave the thing a sharp poke with the tip of his quill. The whole plant seemed to shudder for a moment, before thick dark, green jets of liquid erupted from every boil that covered the plant's surface. The sticky substance coated every non-protected surface and stuck like overly thick jello. After the initial disgust of catching a facefull of the stuff, a whole new wave of revulsion hit the group as the smell of rancid manure filled the compartment.

Yugi and the others were too concerned with getting the worst of the stuff out of their faces to notice the compartment door slide open, and a embarrassed girl quickly dismiss herself and leave as quickly as she'd come.

"Scourgify!" Ginny shouted with a slight hint of disgust in her voice, giving her slime cvered wand a small flick in midair.

Instantly the sap disappeared, as well as taking the horrible smell with it, leaving the entire compartment even cleaner than it had been before. Neville hurriedly stowed the plant back into his sack, mumbling feverrant apologies the entire time. Bakura was almost certain he could still taste the stuff, but soon forgot all about it when a malicious grin spread across Malik's face.

"Hey Bakura," He said reaching into his pocket, and producing his deck, "How bout a duel?"

"Any stakes?" Bakura asked, his eyebrow arching in amusement.

"The usual," Malik said leaning back in his seat, expertly shuffling his deck, "I mean, if you're worried you'll lose…."

"You're on," Bakura declared without another moment's hesitation, leaving Yugi to only shake his head in mild annoyance, while Kaiba continued his vigil. Neville was nearly beside himself with joy, watching the two duelists start the game, and even Harry found himself occasionally asking Yugi about different rules and cards.

An hour later, when Ron and Hermione did show up, a winner had still not been declared, although both were beginning to run low on life points and overall patience with one another. The compartments occupants had all seemed to picked up on the general flow of the game and were now rooting for one or the other.

"S'not wizard's chess," Ron said after watching the stalemate for a few minutes, and biting the head off of a chocolate frog, "I mean, it's interesting and all, but the pictures on the cards don't even move."

A strangled snicker came from Bakura and Malik, as they tried to hide themselves behind their cards and keep playing as if nothing were the matter.

"The cards don't move," Kaiba scoffed, "But in the Battle City tournament, the duelists used special duel disks that projected the cards as holograms onto the field. As soon as we get to Hogwarts, I'm going to get a couple sent to me."

"For us?" Yugi asked.

"You three are the only ones actually worth dueling anymore," Kaiba said as if the fact were obvious.

"Direct attack Malik!," Bakura declared triumphantly, "I win."

"Damn…Alright," Malik resigned after observing the field one last time, "Get it over with…."

"Oh I will, just not when you're expecting it," Bakura said with a devious smirk, "You up for a round Kaiba?"

The CEO shrugged, and handed his deck to Bakura to shuffle. The two had no sooner drawn their first cards, when the door to the compartment slid open again. This time three boys stood blocking the entrance, two looked like newly evolved apes, while the third wore a smug look that complimented his oiled blond hair. Everyone else in the compartment seemed to tense immediately at the new visitors, and Harry was the first to speak before the newcomers could.

"What do you want Malfoy?" Harry practically snarled.

"Manners Potter, or I'll have to give you a detention," drawled Malfoy, whose sleek blond hair seemed to give him the air of a crooked salesman "You see, I, unlike you, have been made a prefect, which means that I, unlike you, have the power to hand out punishments."

"Yeah," said Harry, "but you, unlike me,-are a git, so get out and leave us alone."

A low chuckle traveled around the group, bringing a hint of anger to Malfoy's pale blue eyes. He looked distastefully at the new students, regarding him with little thought before going back to their game. It was enough for Malfoy to reach down and snatch a card from Kaiba's hand and toy with it like a useless piece of paper.

"What's this Potter?" Malfoy sneered, "Running a home for misfits now are we? Where's you find these losers? The gutter? And playing a stupid muggle card game too-HEY!"

Malfoy let out a yell of surprise, as Kaiba's hand shot out to catch Malfoy's arm in a vice-like grip. All four were on their feet in an instant, each with a seemingly more menacing air about them than there had been before. Even Yugi who looked as though he would never harm so much as a gnat, leveled a glare that looked as if it were meant to turn Malfoy to ash. And while Kaiba had been intimidating before, he was nothing like the man that had a firm hold on Malfoy's arm. All 6'2" of him towered over Malfoy, cold fury boiling in his icy blue eyes.

"I strongly suggest you give him back the card," Yugi said in a commanding voice no one had been expecting out of him, "Preferably before he breaks your arm."

As if to emphasize the point, Kaiba tightened his grip, drawing another yelp from Malfoy, who swung uselessly at Kaiba's head.

"Crabbe! Goyle! What are you buffoons standing there for!" Malfoy yelled, "Get him off me!"

Crabbe and Goyle took a single step towards Kaiba, only for Malik and Ryou to fold their arms across their chests, with what could have been anticipation plastered to their faces. For a moment the tension in the room was tangible. The exchange students that had been living with them for the last week were all suddenly replaced by completely different people.

"Just give us and excuse," Ryou growled, a thin smile crossing his lips.

Whatever primitive organ that served as a brain for these two, must have decided against taking these newcomers, as they took several steps in the _opposite _direction. Malfoy continued to pry uselessly at Kaiba's hand, like a fox caught in a trap, as the CEO kept increasing the pressure until Malfoy's arm began to turn purple.

"Give. It. Back." Kaiba said definitively one last time, before Malfoy decided the card wasn't worth losing his arm over.

"Here's your bloody card!" Malfoy yelled releasing it at last, and rubbing his arm where Kaiba had a hold of it, "You four don't know who you've just messed with!"

"What's to know?" Malik scoffed, "You're a coward who hides behind your little cronies when you get too scared to take care of business yourself."

A look of utter rage engulfed Malfoy's face, and left him shaking, but without a response back to the four who all still stood waiting, daring him to make a move.

"Better keep an eye on your new pals there Potter," Malfoy spat, "Because I'll be dogging your every step, just waiting for you rejects to slip up."

Only when Malfoy and his cronies wee out of sight, did the tension finally break and the four slowly took their seats once again. Harry wasn't sure what he had just witnessed, and jugding by the face for his friends, neither were they.

"That was brilliant!" Ron exclaimed, "I've never seen anyone run those three off like that!"

"It was stupid," Hermione said, trying to keep her tone of authority, "Malfoy could have gotten them into big trouble before they'd even walked through the doors of the school! And now he's going to be looking for any excuse to make your lives miserable!"

"Let him try," Malik chuckled, going back to watching the duel, "If he wants to play that game, I'll have no problem showing him what a novice he is at it."

--------

Gotc: I know I said Hogwarts this chapter, but my thought process ran longer than usuall.

Ace: That's a first.

Gotc: SO….I posted another chappie for your viewing pleasure! Get over there and read it!!!


	14. History in the Making

Gotc: Hopefully you all just came from the last chapter, so let's make this short! Squeaky!

Squeaky: Squeak! (Refer to previous chapter. Nothing's changed.)

Gotc: No it has not! Enjoy this special back-to-back chappie!

----

_Harry Potter and the Order of the Rising Dragon_

CHAPTER 13: History in the Making

The weather outside still hadn't seemed to make up its mind by the time they could see distant lights glowing in the darkness. Rain spit at the windows, never quite coming down as a shower nor just staying up in the clouds. The duels had long since been over, and decks safely stowed back away, by the time Hermione suggested everyone get changed. It was a challenge having nine people change in the same compartment, but with a little difficulty, everyone was in their robes just as the train began to slow to a stop. Ron and Hermione left most of their things with Harry and the others to go and supervise the disembarking and help the students get to their rightful places.

The air bit any exposed flesh in sharp contrast to the balmy weather that had been plaguing London for the last several weeks. Malik muttered some intelligible curse, before hugging his robes closer to his body as they stepped down onto the platform.

"First-years! First-years line up over here!" A woman's voice called out through the darkness. The dim light of a lantern was hardly enough to make out a good image of the woman that was herding all of the new students on small boats waiting on the lake.

"Yugi!" Hermione called out through the commotion, "You guys need to go with the first years!"

"On those little boats!?" Bakura yelled back, "I don't think so!"

"You need to be sorted!" Hermione barked back as she ushered a few students to the boats.

Now both Bakura and Malik were grumbling under their breath, both wearing an almost identical murderous expression, which probably accounted for why no one else would sit in the small boat with them as it started across the lake. There were no oars, no motor, nothing that could account for how the small wooden craft had begun to move of its own accord. Although at this point, the cold had begun to eat it's way through their robes, so no one really questioned how the boats were moving across the black water, so long as the ride didn't take long.

There was no moon in the sky, which left the night a murky black. Someone screamed from up ahead, saying they saw something in the water, but the surface was smooth as a new pane of glass with no trace of anything lurking beneath it's surface. Through the gloom, the castle finally came into view, towers reaching up into the low lying clouds, and golden light pouring from every open window. It looked like something straight from a five-year-old's storybook, but the majestic stone structure seemed to hold more mystery than the average fairytale princess would care for.

"Wow Kaiba…." Malik said, forgetting for a moment how much colder Europe was than the desert, "This place puts your mansion to shame."

"Shut up Malik."

When the boats landed on the opposite shore, an older witch in emerald green robes was the first one to "greet" the new students. From behind a pair of thin glasses perched on the bridge of her nose, she watched the students disembark from the tiny boats. She held herself with an air of absolute authority and control. She made sure from the moment every new student laid eyes on her, that they new she was not one to be trifled with.

"First years!" She called once in a crisp tone, "Follow me!"

Without another word, she turned on her heels and started up the stairs into the castle, leaving it up to the students to decide whether to follow her or not. Not wanting to be left alone in the dark, the witches and wizards-to-be all scurried after her, knotting in a tight group behind her like a school of nervous fish. Yugi and the others however, hung back from the rest of the group, not yet wanting to draw any attention to themselves, and because Malik's robe had been hung up on a nail sticking out of the boat. After a few moments of futile struggling with the stubborn protrusion, and a certain thief laughing until tears came to his eyes, the sound of ripping fabric filled the air before the group quickly followed the fading lantern into the castle.

-----

As big as the castle had been on the outside, inside it was absolutely massive. The cathedral ceiling seemed almost a mile off of the ground, while torches and chandeliers all glowed brightly like stars in the sky. Suits of armor all stood polished and at the ready, like soldiers all waiting for a command. Marble steps lead the way to a set of massive ornately carved doors at the end of the corridor, where the witch had stopped to address the new students.

"Now, before you all sit down, you will be sorted into your houses," She started to explain, "For the next nine months, your housemates will be your family. You will eat together, succeed together, and when it is appropriate, be punished together. Keep in mind, your actions will not only affect yourselves, but your fellow housemates as well."

Her eyes drifted over the group, as if she were making extra sure she was looking into the soul of every person to drive the point home. When her gaze fell on the exchange students, she pointed a finger at them and cleared her throat to make sure she had their attention.

"You four boys will need to see me in my office after the feast to get your schedules," She said, "I'll have one of the prefects show you where Professor McGonagall's office is. Now, everyone follow me."

The massive doors opened without a command, revealing the Great Hall that lay beyond their threshold. Four long tables stretched the entire length of the hall, filled with students all wearing the same black robes and pointed black hats. Filing in from the outside, it was nearly impossible to tell who belonged to what table. While the ceiling had seemed to stretch to the sky in the last corridor, in the hall, the sky _was_ the ceiling. Heavy grey clouds moved sluggishly overhead, while thin white candles floated in mid air amongst them. The rafters could just barely be seen through the clouds, but they kept fading in and out of focus like a bad movie. At the very end of the hall an fifth table had been set up perpendicular to the other four, and a dozen witches and wizards all sat patiently waiting for the new arrivals. McGonagall brought the students to a stop, before moving forward to place an ancient looking wizard's hat on a simple wooden stool. There were more patches on the worn-out fabric than was left of the original material, and a wide rip could be seen just above the frayed brim.

The constant drone of conversation quickly died away in to utter silence, as veterans and student's alike waited for the Sorting Ceremony to begin. The rip opened up like a mouth and the hat began to speak with a voice that rang clear in the Hall.

"In times of old when I was new

And Hogwarts barely started

The founders of our noble school

Thought never to be parted:

United by a common goal,

They had the selfsame yearning,

To make the world's best magic school

And pass along their learning.

'Together we will build and teach!'

The four good friends decided

And never did they dream that they

Might some day be divided,

For were there such friends anywhere

As Slytherin and Gryffindor?

Unless it was the second pair

Of Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw?

So how could it have gone so wrong?

How could such friendships fail?

Why, I was there and so can tell

The whole sad, sorry tale.

Said Slytherin, 'We'll teach just those

Whose ancestry is purest.'

Said Ravenclaw, 'We'll teach those whose

Intelligence is surest.'

Said Gryffindor, 'We'll teach all those

With brave deeds to their name,'

Said Hufflepuff, I'll teach the lot,

And treat them just the same.'

These differences caused little strife

When first they came to light,

For each of the four founders had

A house in which they might

Take only those they wanted, so,

For instance, Slytherin

Took only pure-blood wizards

Of great cunning, just like him,

And only those of sharpest mind

Were taught by Ravenclaw

While the bravest and the boldest

Went to daring Gryffindor.

Good Hufflepuff, she took the rest,

And taught them all she knew,

Thus the houses and their founders

Retained friendships firm and true.

So Hogwarts worked in harmony

For several happy years,

But then discord crept among us

Feeding on our faults and fears.

The houses that, like pillars four,

Had once held up our school,

Now turned upon each other and,

Divided, sought to rule.

And for a while it seemed the school

Must meet an early end,

What with duelling and with jighting

And the clash of friend on friend

And at last there came a morning

When old Slytherin departed

And though the fighting then died out

He left us quite downhearted.

And never since the founders four

Were whittled down to three

Have the houses been united

As they once were meant to be.

And now the Sorting Hat is here

And you all know the score:

I sort you into houses

Because that is what I'm for,

But this year I'll go further,

Listen closely to my song:

Though condemned I am to split you

Still I worry that it's wrong,

Though / must fulfil my duty

And must quarter everv year

Still I wonder whether Sorting

May not bring the end I fear.

Oh, know the perils, read the signs,

The warning history shows,

For our Hogwarts is in danger

From external, deadly foes

And we must unite inside her

Or we'll crumble from within

I have told you, I have warned you:

Let the Sorting now begin."

Applause broke out amongst the students, but there was an undertone of confused mutterings and questions before McGonagall regained the silence in the room by calling out the first name.

"Abercrombie, Euan."

A terrified boy stumbled forward and onto the wooded stool, while Professor McGonagall lowered the tattered old hat down onto his head. A tense moment passed, before the hat screamed:

"Gryffindor!"

A roar of cheers went up from a nearby table, as the boy went to go sit with his new housemates. One by one the line slowly began to dwindle away to nothing, as the students were all sorted into their appropriate houses until only Yugi, Bakura, Malik and Kaiba were left waiting. McGonagall took a quick glance at her Parchment before re-addressing the students.

"Students! This year we have four new students transferring to Hogwarts," She said, "And while they may not be sorted into your own house, I want everyone here to make them feel as welcome as you would any other new student."

With that she quickly turned back to her sheet of parchment, and called out the next name.

"Bakura, Ryou!"

Yugi could see Bakura falter for a moment, before starting towards the stool with more apprehension than he'd shown all day. He realized the thief king must have given control back to Ryou as he took an uneasy seat.

The hat dropped down onto Ryou's head, covering his eyes, and strangely cutting off his connection to the outside world.

"_Hmmmm….Interesting." _The Hat's voice echoed in his mind, _"A mind split in two. Two personalities inhabiting one soul it would seem… One shy, yet kind and courageous, while the other is cunning and ancient. How strange indeed."_

_((Just hurry up and judge the boy.)) _Bakura snapped, _((I want nothing to do with this experience….))_

"_Suit yourself…_GRYFFINDOR!!!"

Ryou sighed with relief, and slid off of the stool to go and join the cheering table to watch the others be sorted.

"Ishtar, Malik!"

Not quite as worried as Ryou had been, Malik crossed the gap separating himself and the hat and took a seat, as the hat dropped onto his head.

"_How odd…Just like your friend…Two minds shared in one body…But you are not as divided. You both strive for the same goal. Neither wanting to be forgotten to the decay of time, neither wanting to be left in the darkness. Powerful ambitions….Yes. I know where to put you…_SLYTHERIN!"

The Slytherin table burst into cheers as Malik strode over to sit with his new house. He could have sworn he saw a small group at the end of the table give him vengeful looks, but he didn't have any time to ponder about it as McGonagall called the next name.

"Kaiba, Seto!"

Kaiba looked as if he were more annoyed than anything at how long this sorting process actually took. He needed all of three seconds to get to the stool and waited impatiently for his turn under the Hat's scrutiny.

"_Awful sure of yourself aren't you?" _Came the Hat's voice, _"Not like your friends though, no one else sharing your mind. A brilliant mind it is too, but it's your heart that's been split…One clinging to cold logic, the other towards the human emotion your mind refuses to acknowledge. You could learn from that, but still…._Better be… RAVENCLAW!"

Kaiba was indifferent as he strode over to the Ravenclaw's table, where he was promptly swarmed by a group of fawning third years, much to his chagrin. Yugi would have laughed, if McGonagall hadn't called his name next. Yugi swallowed hard, but walked calmly over to the stool where the hat was waiting. For a moment he was worried the thing would get hung up on his hair, but it didn't seem to be a problem as it dropped down over his eyes.

"_Another one eh? Strange magic you and your friends have about you…Powerful stuff. You're just like your friend though…Of course your priorities are a bit different. A goal, a purpose, not to be remembered, but to help return one's memories. Loyal and brave, even though you may not think so…_GRYFFINDOR!"

A smile crossed Yugi's face as he nearly ran to join Ryou at the Gryffindor table, along with Harry, Ron and Hermione. They were all congratulating their new housemates, when the Headmaster rose to his feet, and began the feast. Food magically appeared all over the tables, and the students wasted no time grabbing as much as they could fit onto one plate. There were even a few dishes from Japan, which Ryou and Yugi loaded up on. It was peaceful in a chaotic sort of way. Everyone talked like the family McGonagall said they would be, they shared their summers, their home lives, new developments in their own little worlds.

When at last everyone had stuffed themselves full to bursting, the Headmaster rose to his feet once more, and the chatter of the room drew silent.

"Well, now that we are all digesting another magnificent feast, I beg a few moments of your attention for the usual start-of-term notices," said Dumbledore, "First I would like to point out that-"

A sudden crash outside the Great Hall doors interrupted the Headmaster' speech. Students and teachers all exchanged worried looks as the first noise was accompanied by another, louder one. It sounded as if someone was trying to smash their way through the solid stone floors of the castle, before there was the metallic sound of metal on stone. Several teachers were on their feet by this point, all pulling out their wands to face any threat, when a man came hurdling through the massive doors.

He tumbled head over heals, before he smashed hard into the Hufflepuff table. The students screamed and scattered away from this intruder, as he rubbed the spot where his head had smashed against the wood. Two suits of armor, one holding a mace, the other a battleaxe, came thudding through the door next, charging after the intruder. One raised its axe as it barreled towards this new threat, giving the man only a second to roll out of its path. There was a dull thump, as the battleaxe was lodged in the heavy wood of the table, leaving its owner struggling to free his weapon.

"HA!" He yelled triumphantly, before the mace went whizzing past his head, missing it by a hair.

The man spun around on his heel, and angrily tacked the suit around the wait, knocking them both to the floor in a deafening crash. The suit managed to swing at him once before it hit the ground, but instead of hitting it's intended target, the weapon slammed into the other suit's helm, leaving it to fall into a crumpled pile of metal. It took the man another two seconds to dispatch the last one, as he shoved his foot just underneath the armor's visor and gave a terrific heave, sending the helm flying across the room.

Only when the armor lay still, did he get back to his feet. His blue jean jacket was covered in dust from the floor, and his midnight black hair stuck out in all directions as a consequence from his recent encounter with the angry metal men. It took a moment for him to catch his breath, brush the pale coating of dust off of his shoulders, and put himself back in order, before he turned to the Head table

"Dumbledore!" The man yelled, "Is there _anything else_ on these grounds that is going to try and take my head off?"

"Glad to see you were able to make it Professor," Dumbledore chuckled, as a ripple of confused chatter ignited in the hall, "I hope you are mostly intact?"

"Yeah, but not for lack of trying…" The man grumbled, wiping a thin trail of blood from his lip, "Trees aren't supposed to swing at you ya know…."

"I do apologize sincerely for the inconvenience," Dumbledore nodded, ignoring the incredulous look the toad-ish professor in the pink cardigan was giving him, "Students, please return to your seats. There is no cause for alarm."

The Hufflepuffs all tentatively returned to the table, although no one wanted to sit near the giant axe still half buried in the table. Dumbledore smiled, as the man shoved both hands into his pockets and strode through the rows of tables towards the headmaster. Several students started whispering frantically as he passed, but it didn't quite reach the ears of those who wanted to hear it most, before Dumbledore beat them to it.

"Everyone! I am pleased to introduce three new additions to the Hogwarts teaching staff. We are very pleased to welcome back Professor Grubbly-Plank, who will be taking Care of Magical Creatures lessons; we are also delighted to introduce Professor Umbridge, our new Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher," The Headmaster said gesturing to each teacher in turn, "As well as our most recent arrival, Professor Cooper, who will be assisting Professor Umbridge with the Defence Against the Dark Arts class this year."

The confused musings that had pocketed the hall, now erupted into full-blown roar of gossip that engulfed the entire hall. Yugi and Ryou exchanged questioning looks with Harry, Ron and Hermione, only to be met by similar stares.

"What's the big deal?" Ryou asked, "Isn't he just another teacher."

"I don't know," Hermione said, "I mean everyone thinks the Defense Against the Dark Arts position is cursed."

"We've had a new teacher every year since we've been here," Harry said.

"What happened?" Yugi asked.

"One's dead, the other had his mind wiped, not that there was much to start with," Ron ticked off on his fingers, "Third was a werewolf, well you guys met Lupin, and the last one turned out to be working for You-Know-Who, but was disguised as Moody."

"That creepy guy with the weird eye?"

"Yeah," Harry said, looking closely at the new Professor shaking hands with Dumbledore, "But we've never had two teachers at once before-"

"Do you even know who that guy is!" Seamus leaned over, his eyes flicking back and forth between Cooper and Harry.

"Should we?" Hermione asked.

"That's Ace Johannes Cooper! Five time champ of the World Martial Arts Tournament! The man's a legend! I just watched him fight in London before the start of the term!" Seamus sputtered.

"Big deal," Ron said taking a swig of pumpkin juice, "So Dumbledore finally found someone who might actually be able to teach us something."

"Ron!" Seamus tried one last time, "He's a muggle!"

------

Gotc: Aaaaaannnnnnnd, cut!

Ace: Time to stir up trouble….

Gotc: Indeed! Remember folks, two chappies for the price of one, so maybe you'll leaveme some nice reviews, yes? Anyway, remember to stop by this fic's discussion thread and speculate about what kind of mayhem I've got in store for the next chappie! Later!


	15. Inconspicuous

Gotc: So…sleepy…

Ace: That's what you get for working two jobs and doing the good scholar thing in college.

Gotc: But…must….keep….scholarship……

Ace: So killing yourself is the most logical course of action?

Gotc:………

Ace: While her overly stimulated brain short circuits, please enjoy these musings by the Whale.

Squeaky: Squeak. (I have a name you know.)

Ace: Don't care. Do the disclaimer so our meal ticket doesn't add license plate making to her list of things to do.

Squeak: (No, we don't own them, except for Ace…but then again, he doesn't really count. Go on now, Enjoy your chapter!)

------

_Harry Potter and the Order of the Rising Dragon_

CHAPTER 14: Inconspicuous…not.

It was right there in the name; Hogwarts School for Witchcraft and Wizardry. Muggles weren't even supposed to know wizards existed, much less know that a school for training young wizards was hiding in the countryside. The castle itself supposedly had anti-muggle charms encompassing the grounds, illusions were placed that would make the castle look like a run-down old house to those without magical blood.

And yet there he stood, no robes, no wand. Just a ratty old jean jacket covering his sturdy frame, and both hands shoved indifferently into his pockets, as he took a seat at the end of the teacher's table. Nearly the entire Great Hall was staring at him, as if they looked hard enough, he would vanish into thin air. Instead, he simply stared back, arms crossed against his chest staring back with a smug grin on his face. He was no illusion, and he wasn't going anywhere.

Some of the other teachers looked at him with the same air of disbelief, until a short, bald teacher tugged lightly on his sleeve. Suddenly, this new professor seemed more human, as the two began to talk and a warm, genuine smile crossed his face. Dumbledore had already continued on with his announcements, but no one in the Hall was really listening.

"Seamus," Hermione tried to reason, "You _have_ to be thinking about someone else. I mean, there's no way a muggle could possibly-"

"Think whatever you want Hermione," Seamus huffed, "But I know who that man is."

Yugi was only half listening to them, while another part of him was staring hard at this new stranger. His body suddenly felt lighter than it should have been, and his vision blurred for a moment before the world re-focused around him. The students were gone, but the long wooden tables were instead filled with cheering soldiers and massive plates of food. One in particular caught his eye, a winged helm sat atop his head, inlaid with gold and silver filigree twisted into the brightly polished metal. The men had all thrown up another round of cheering to this man, and he willingly obliged them by grasping his own goblet in an armored hand. He raised it high to the men, before downing the contents amidst the roar of celebration.

"It seems kinda strange either way doesn't it Yugi?" Ryou muttered in the distance.

"….."

"YUGI!" Ryou said louder, and much closer to his friend's ear.

"OW!" Yugi yelped, "What was that for?!"

"You were spacing," Ryou said, popping another piece of nigiri in his mouth, "You alright?"

"Yeah I think so," Yugi said grinning sheepishly, "It's all a lot to take in at once."

"Tell that to Malik…" Ryou said shaking his head, and pointing to the Slytherin table.

Sure enough, Malik already had a following of Slytherins hanging on his every word. They were too far away to hear whatever he was talking about, but judging by the hand motions, he was really getting into it. Not everyone was enjoying their new housemate, however. While Malik had quickly assimilated to his new surroundings, he'd also managed to split the Slytherin house in two. Malfoy and his cronies all sat glaring at the new arrival, and openly mocking his enthusiasm. Yugi and Ryou weren't the only ones that noticed either. Malik's eyes flicked over to Malfoy, and he simply sat down in his seat without missing a beat. One hand quickly slipped inside his robes, just as Malfoy guided a spoonful of custard towards his mouth. The faint glimmer under the table passed so fast, it could have been mistaken for a candle or torch reflecting off of the floor, but at the same moment, Malfoy's spoon seemed to miss his mouth altogether and instead plastered custard on the side of his face. Almost everyone at the table erupted into laughter, and even some of those sitting near Malfoy were trying hard to keep the snickers off their face as he angrily wiped the desert off of his face. Yugi and Ryou exchanged worried glances, and the commotion even seemed to catch Kaiba's attention. But Dumbledore's voice interrupted the confrontation before it could begin to escalate.

"I am sure you all have plenty of questions, but not to worry, they will all be answered soon enough," The Headmaster said calmly, "But tonight is one of celebration, and welcoming all back for another year together. For now, I shall bid you all a good evening, and if the prefects would escort their houses to their commons, we can all get some rest for tomorrow."

A clatter of chairs and feet echoed in the Hall, as the students all crowded around their respected Prefects before slowly filing out and to the towers. Teachers too, made their way down from the table and vanished amongst the crowds to prepare their lessons for the next morning. Yugi and Ryou followed along behind a chattering group of second-years, and fell to the back of the procession as the Slytherin House passed them by. Malik was still surrounded by a cluster of students, but dropped back to catch up to his friends.

"What was that!" Yami's voice hissed, as the Pharaoh took control of Yugi.

"It's called 'fun' Pharaoh," Malik scoffed, "Ever heard of it? Besides, the little snob had it coming to him after the ride here."

"Which meant it's _my_ battle to fight; he grabbed my deck, not yours." Kaiba growled suddenly towering over the three, "Normally I wouldn't care what you mental patient rejects do in your free time, but since everyone seems to think we're friends, I don't want to get called in for one of your stupid pranks. Got it?"

"But the guy's in my House, not yours," Malik pointed out, "Which means he's free game."

"Calm down Priest," Bakura said rolling his eyes, joining in the conversation, "It's not like anyone knew what happened."

"Until they see one of the Items because you're too busy having pieces of trash like that run into walls!" Yami shot back, lowering his voice as another knot of students passed by.

"Trash? Why Pharaoh! You don't even know him!" Malik gasped in fake astonishment.

"I know a corrupted soul when I see one," Yami growled, "He's the kind of person that's only going to get have fun tormenting you every moment of the day."

"Then I'll have to be two steps ahead of him, won't I?" Malik grinned.

"Hey you lot! Get back with your houses!" A ghost floating above them yelled from the rafters.

Malik took the opportunity and trotted off to catch up with the rest of his house as they started down a different corridor, leaving the other three to go their own ways.

[[_You know….The Pharaoh may have a point…._]] Marik mused as they caught up to the others.

[_You're kidding right? Since when do you agree with anything he has to say?_]

[[_When the words "running him into walls" come out of his mouth._]]

[_Excellent point_.]

Kaiba shook his head, and followed suit after Malik, but not before muttering something about babysitting under his breath, then disappeared into the crowd. Yami and Bakura were left in the corridor, with no sign of the Gryffindors any where.

"OY! You two!" A familiar voice called out from behind them. Seamus was trotting up to the two, as the spirits quickly returned to the items as he approached, "It's Yugi and….Ryou? Right?"

"Yeah," Yugi nodded, grateful to have found someone that knew the way to their tower, "And you're Seamus?"

"For the last 15 years," He joked, turning towards a large portrait of a Fat Lady.

"Why aren't you with the others?" Ryou asked.

"I hung back to get Professor Cooper's autograph," He said excitedly pulling out a carefully folded square of parchment, "What about you two? Didn't you leave with everyone else?"

"We just wanted to talk to one of our friends," Ryou shrugged.

"Yeah, tough luck your pal there getting Slytherin," Seamus said, quickly uttering the password and climbing through the hole when the portrait swung back, "but he seems to be doing pretty well on his own."

"Let's just hope it stays that way…."

------

Ace had really been expecting the Headmaster's office to be in more order than the jumbled piles of parchment and books that composed most of the floor's structure. Other portraits were all looking at him and whispering to one another as he and the Headmaster walked inside, but he paid them no mind as he took a seat on a wooden chair next to the large desk in the center of the room. A magnificent bird studied him carefully with one golden eye, and ruffled it's sunset-esque plumage before strutting across the desk to get a better look at the new visitor.

"Always a good sign when Fawkes takes an interest in someone," Dumbledore said lowering himself into his own chair, "He's a wonderful judge of character."

"Good to hear," Ace said reaching out to stroke the bird's crown feathers, "Phoenix right?"

"For a muggle, you seem to know quite a bit about us."

Ace craned his head back to look behind him and was met by a wall of bright pink fabric.

"Evening Professor," Ace said righting himself, "Sorry about barging in like that during dinner and all…"

"I don't suppose you could have helped it," Professor Umbridge said curtly, her toadish face drawn into a political mask, "Professor Dumbledore, I was wondering if I might have a word?"

"Yes of course," The Headmaster nodded with a smile, "What can I help you with?"

"I have a bit of a concern about your choice for my new…hem hem….colleague," She said giving Ace a sidelong glance of utter distaste, "And I'm most certain the Minister would also have similar concerns about his ability to work with the students and for his own safety."

Dumbledore's eyes flicked to his newest professor, to see him listening with a reserved silence, before rising to his feet and grasping Professor Umbridge's hand in a gentle hold.

"I must say ma'am, I'm touched by your concern for my wellbeing," He said with a kind smile on his face, before letting go of her hand and straightening his posture, "But I can assure you, I'll be more than able to take care of myself and these kids, muggle or not."

"Be that as it may," She said with a condescending smirk, " It is no secret that Hogwarts has produced several…troublemakers over the years. They may prove to be more difficult that you or our Headmaster here would have anticipated."

A rich laugh filled the room, as Ace began to chuckle at her comments.

"Pardon me Professor," Ace said, still smiling with out a trace of malice in his voice, "But I live for the challenge. It's the day when we are no longer to challenge ourselves, is when we begin to die. I'll be more than alright with what ever these so called "Troublemakers" can dish out."

"All the same I just feel that for a such a position, there are perhaps others more qualified-"

"You mean a wizard?" Ace summed up.

"Or witch." Umbridge corrected him.

"M'lady," Ace said gently, "Perhaps you should make an evaluation yourself. You against myself, witch against muggle, so that I could prove to you and help put your mind at ease, that I will have no trouble whatsoever."

Umridge's eyes bulged slightly, as she listened to Ace's proposal. Her face flushed a strange shade of red, while her mind reeled to form a response to such a ridiculous notion.

"Oh!" Ace exclaimed snapping his fingers, "The students should be present as well! A demonstration of both of our abilities could only serve to capture their respect before they could think about ways to cause trouble!"

"I-I…I don't think such…barbaric methods would be quite as effective as you may be thinking," She stammered quickly, "But your enthusiasm is refreshing. We'll see how you do in the next few days and perhaps have this little chat again?"

"Of course," Ace said bowing slightly to the witch before him, "I look forward to it."

Umbridge glanced at Dumbledore once, before straightening her cardigan and turning on her heels. Only when the sound of grinding stone reached the ears of those waiting in the office, did Ace sit back down with an unceremonious flop. At the same time, Fawkes seemed to have made up his mind about this new stranger and flapped his wings to alight on Ace's shoulder where he had better access to his fingers to scratch.

"Be careful with her," Dumbledore warned quietly, "She's not the type to forget trespasses so quickly."

"I'll be sure to stay out of her way then," Ace agreed, "No trespasses, no reason to fight me."

"I'm afraid it may not be quite that simple," Dumbledore shook his head, "Simply by being on these grounds you've threatened her, and have made a dangerous enemy out of her. She may not be the most powerful person on the planet, but she has the connections to those that are."

"It wouldn't be the first time," Ace shrugged nonchalantly, before pulling an envelope from an inner pocket of his jacket and set in on the desk between them, "Now should we get started?"

---------

Gotc: And we have our first little confrontation with the wicked toad of the west. Short, but they'll get better once we get into the year. I have a great first day planned, so keep posting and one eye peeled for the next chappie! Laters!


	16. Bright Pink Headaches

Gotc: I'm SORRY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Ace: -Muffled yelling-

Gotc: The only good thing about having a crapload of homework to do is that Ace has been buried for the

last two months, and the silence has been oh-so-nice. Plenty of time to study, no time to write, but studying's good too. Anyway, I think you all have waited long enough for this chapter sooooo….SQUEAKY!!!

Squeaky: Squeak! (Ahhh……So quiet….)

Gotc: Indeed……so nice……But Fic time is now!! Enjoy!!

-------------

_Harry Potter and the Order of the Riding Dragon_

CHAPTER 15: Bright Pink Headaches

Waking up the next morning _hurt_. Yugi and Ryou were both the last ones out of bed, both bleary-eyed and disheveled. There had been some argument the night before between Harry and Seamus after they'd all made it back to their dormitories, but both were out almost the very instant their heads came within reach of their pillows. But unbeknownst to them, neither of their darker halves could find any rest during the long night.

Maybe that was the reason a new, and more vicious throbbing had manifested claws and teeth to deeply root it into the teen's skulls.

"Owwww….." Ryou moaned holding his head, Yugi complaining in unison with him as they slumped

over their plates at breakfast.

(_What did you do Bakura?) _Ryou said holding his head to keep his brain from spilling out of his ears, (_Sneak a couple of gallons of sake on the train to drink after I went to bed?)_

_((Yeah, Yandoushi,)) _Bakrua growled, in a similar position in his soul room, _((And I invited the Pharaoh over too and we just had a great time! Now will you stop talking so loud!))_

Ryou didn't feel like arguing with the irritable spirit, and instead rolled his head just enough so he could look at Yugi.

"How do you feel?" He asked, already guessing the answer.

"Like Ra just got done using me to pick its teeth," Yugi groaned, "How's Bakura?"

"Miserable, for once" Ryou sighed, "I just wish I felt better to enjoy it. How's Yami?"

"Dying." Yugi said managing a weak smile, "He won't even talk to me."

"Lucky..Any idea what happened?"

"All this new magic is my guess," Yugi shrugged, keeping his voice low "It's way stronger than back at the other place. It must be clashing with the Items."

"Then why does Malik get off like he's been sleeping on a cloud of feathers?"

Yugi could only glance over at his friend wolfing down his breakfast, before he caught Yugi's gaze and waved to him enthusiastically.

"I dunno, maybe it has something to do with Yami and Bakura being more sensitive to the magic." Yugi sighed, "I don't really care what's causing it right now though. I just want it to stop…"

"You boys have a headache!?" The grating voice of Fred Weasley nearly bellowed in their ears.

Yugi and Ryou both winced in unison, then turned a glare on the Weasley twin their yamis would have been proud of.

"Please don't talk so loud," Ryou practically hissed between clenched teeth. He didn't know whether it was his own misery or Bakura's that was boiling over into an urge to strangle the redhead to stop the noise.

"Ya know," George said plopping down in the open seat next to Yugi, and throwing one arm over his slumped shoulders, "We're working on a new formula that might help take care of those headaches. We'd be willing to make it worth your while too-"

"Fred! George!" Hermione yelled, from a few seats down the table, "You can't be testing your horrible 'products' on students! Yugi and Ryou are new here and they're going to have a hard enough time keeping up without a daily trip to the infirmary!"

"Why Hermione!" Fred gasped in mock insult, "How dare you insinuate that our products are anything but safe?!"

"Besides," Gorege added, "You only said no advertising for testers on the bulletin board in the commons. This is a mutual agreement."

"It is nothing of the sort!" She protested, "You'll get your products tested, and they'll be missing half their faces! Back me up on this Ron!"

Ron only stuck his face closer to his plate, while Harry watched the whole scene from the corner of his eye with a small smirk on his face. Hermione didn't seem to notice however, as she stood firmly behind her decision.

"No. Testing. On. Students." She said enunciating each word to make her point.

"And what are you going to do about it?" George said playfully jabbing Fred in the ribs, "Give us detention?"

"No," Hermione said with a devilishly sweet smile, "I'll write your mother."

Both twins paled instantly, and met Hermione's triumphant grin with a disbelieving stare.

"You wouldn't,"

"I would and will."

The two sides stood in silence for a moment longer, staring each other down as if not blinking would decide who was bluffing and who was not.

"Come on George," Fred said breaking the silence, "We might be able to sell a few Extendable Ears before Herbology."

Hermione watched the two walk off, scrutiny never leaving her face until they were out of sight. Yugi and Ryou both re-buried their heads in the crook of their folded arms, trying to find some relief from the gnawing pain that was eating away at the inside of their skulls.

"You two should probably go see the nurse if you feel any worse later…" Hermione offered.

"It's probably just nerves," Yugi said, not bothering to lift his head, "I'm sure we'll get over it."

"Get over what?"

Malik helped himself to the open seat where the Weasley's had been sitting, ignoring the incredulous and angry stares that were coming from the other Gryffindors around them.

"Headache." Yugi sighed, "Bad."

"You don't think it has to do with the Items do you?" Malik asked, reverting back to Japanese and lowering his voice with so many people nearby.

"Wish we knew," Ryou said, forcing a forkful of eggs into his mouth to try and keep up appearances, "How bout you? You feeling alright?"

"I'm fine. A little fuzzy from the magic, but no pain or headache to speak of-"

"What are you guys going on about over there?" Ron asked from across the table, enough of the foreign conversation reaching his ears to pique his curiosity.

"Nothing," Malik lied quickly, "We just forgot to go see Professor McGonagall last night is all."

"Then I suppose it's a good thing I found you."

All three looked back over their shoulders, or in Yugi and Ryou's case, rolled themselves into a better position. Emerald green robes and stern eyes met the three as they looked up at the professor. Malik started to utter a quick excuse, before she cut him off by holding up one hand.

"Don't worry about it Mr. Ishtar," McGonagall said, straightening her glasses, "I think we all had a bit of an…..interesting evening. Although Mr. Kaiba did manage to make it to my office."

"Figures," Malik snorted, "Where is Mr. King-of-the-World anyway?"

"He had some pressing business matters to attend to," McGonagall said raising an eyebrow at Malik's comment, "The school interferes with any muggle made devices, so he was escorted off of the grounds until he puts his affairs in order. Not to worry, he'll be back before class begins."

Just then, Professor Cooper came striding into the Great Hall, a thin sheen of sweat across his forehead and his jacket tossed over his shoulder. He stopped only briefly to say hello to a few of the other teachers, and grab a piece of fruit and a small loaf of bread, before heading back the way he'd came. Professor McGonagall watched him like a hawk the entire time, but never did let any indication of some kind of distrust reach her face.

"Professor," Harry asked, "Why did Professor Dumbledore hire a muggle to teach? Isn't that breaking some kind of law with the Ministry?"

"Most likely," The Deputy Headmistress said handing slips of paper to each of them, "But Professor Dumbledore knows what he's doing , and he never would have brought Cooper to Hogwarts if he didn't have a good reason for it."

"You don't happen to know him do you?" Yugi asked, not looking at McGonagall, but rater at the door where Professor Cooper had just vanished behind.

"I'm afraid I don't," She said, giving Yugi a strange look, "Not personally anyway. I've done a little research on him after he was hired, but nothing more than that. Why do you ask?"

"No reason really," Yugi said, suddenly becoming very interested in his schedule, "I just thought maybe he had some connection to the magical community if he came so highly recommended by the Headmaster."

McGonagall continue to eye Yugi carefully, before she continued on down the table to finish passing out schedules to the rest of the Gryffindors. Both Malik and Ryou picked up where the Headmistress had left off with her inquisitive stare, but didn't have the chance to say anything, before Ron's groan spread a sense of despair across the table.

"Look at this! I don't think they could have had us lined up for a worst first day!" He complained , "History of Magic, double Potions, Divination, and double Defense against the Dark Arts!"

"Joy…" Harry sighed in unison after confirming Ron's discovery, "Binns, Snape, Trewlney, and Umbridge all in the same day…. What about you guys? How's you schedule look?"

"About the same I guess," Ryou shrugged, "No Divination. We've got Ancient Runes and Muggle studies instead. It looks like we don't have Professor Cooper until Thursday though."

"We have potions together," Malik pointed out, "That won't be so bad, right?"

"If you say so…" Harry said destitutly gathering up his things.

----

Three hours later, and Ryou thought he would physically have to restrain Bakura from sending someone to the Shadow Realm. The History Professor had actually helped, his voice had been unnaturally boring had put them both to sleep. In fact, he awoke in time to head off to his next class strangely refreshed, and with his headache somewhat lessened. Yugi on the other hand still looked miserable. His normally spiky hair seemed to droop in tandem with his pounding head. More than once, Ryou thought he caught Yugi and the Pharaoh switching places, no doubt to give the other some relief from the unrelenting pain, of course, it might have been Ancient Runes. The announcement that they'd be starting with Ancient Egypt was a welcome break from the unfamiliar magic. All in all, the day had been going rather well, at least until they had set foot in the dungeons.

It had taken all of three seconds for the dark-haired Potions Master to decide that the new students weren't to his liking, and another four to make his displeasure known. The rest of the period was then spent continually berating the three for their lack of knowledge about potions, their ingredients, and even the tools that should be used to prepare them. Malik even caught an earful after a remark under his breath about homemade hair oil, once Snape had turned his back. In fact, the only break they had caught in the Potion Master's wrath, was the few moments before class had ended where he had taken some time to publicly humiliate Harry in front of the entire class.

((_ARROGANT MAN!))_ Bakura roared inside of Ryou's skull, _((Bottle fame? Stopper death?! Ha! His little chemistry set is no comparison to _real_ magic! I wonder if he has a flask of pepto bismol that will stop the bleeding when I-))_

_(Bakura!) _Ryou said cutting him off before he could elaborate, or send any more pictures of exactly what he'd like to do into his head, _(It's only the first day. Don't you think it's just a little too early to start making threats against a teacher's life?)_

_((Oh please,)) _Bakura scoffed, _((If I had my way, I'd take the Necklace from the Keeper's sister and get rid the world of men like him before they even had a chance to come into existence.))_

_(What a wonderful thought. Look, he even got on Malik's case, and he's in the guy's House. We stay out of his way and then we only have to see him twice a week. So do you think you can keep the bloodlust to a minimum just for this next class?)_

Ryou and Yugi silently filed in behind several other students into the large classroom and quickly found a seat somewhere in the middle. Professor Umbridge was already sitting at the teacher's desk at the front of the classroom adorned in her fluffy pink cardigan and matching hat with black velvet bow. No one spoke a word as they all filed into the room and found seats under her watchful gaze. Harry, Ron and Hermione took their seats next to them with a silent nod and rustle of parchment as they all dug for their supplies before the period began.

_((How many Barbies do you think had to die so she could make that outfit?))_ Came Bakura's snide comment, as Ryou settled back in his chair.

He had to choke back a laugh in a fit of coughing, drawing and odd look from Yugi and the rest of the students around him. Ryou muttered a quick apology, before resituating himself in his seat. Yugi kept casting sidelong glances at his friend, until Ryou opened his link and relayed Bakura's comment. Yugi suddenly became very interested in a spot on the ceiling, and did whatever he could to avaoid looking directly at Professor Umbridge.

"Good afternoon children!" Professor Umbridge said brightly once everyone had taken their seats.

A half-hearted mummer went up in reply from a handful of students, earning a "tut-tut" from the lips of their new professor.

"Oh come now, that will never do," She said in the same voice one would use when speaking to a toddler, "Let's try again shall we? And I would like you all to say 'Good afternoon Professor Umbridge'. Now, Good afternoon children!"

"Good afternoon Professor Umbridge," The class chanted back lamely but enough to placate their teacher.

"There now," She said sweetly, "That wasn't so hard now was it? Now, wands away and quills out please."

A unified moan went up, as everyone sluggishly obeyed. Umbridge didn't seem to notice however as she began pace in front of the classroom. She cleared her throat with a 'hem hem' before continuing on, her voice much more business-like than it had been only moments before.

"While I had planned on addressing the entire student body yesterday evening before our little, hem, interruption," She said with a small smile on her face, "I'm sure you all will be just as attentive in hearing what I have to say today. Now, as you all know, the Ministry of Magic has always considered the education of young witches and wizards to be of the utmost importance. The ancient skills unique to the wizarding community passed down from generation to generation lest we lost them forever. Every Headmaster or headmistress has brought something new to the weighty task of governing this historic school, which is as it should be, for without progress there will be stagnation and decay. There again, progress for progress sake should be discouraged, for our tried and tested traditions require no tinkering. A balance then, between old and new, permanence and change, between tradition and innovation…"

Ryou was having a difficult time deciding whether Umbridge was better or worse than Professor Binns at putting her students to sleep. Well, perhaps sleep was the wrong word; her voice seemed to be causing brain damage more than anything. Most of the students were staring back at her with glazed over eyes, the way Ryou remembered many of Bakura's victims looking after he'd sent their souls to the deepest parts of the Shadow Realm. Hermione was listening intently, as was Yugi…No the Pharaoh, they must have switched again, and neither one of them had a pleased look on their faces about anything she had to say.

"…Because some changes will be for the better, while others will come, in the fullness of time, to be recognized as errors of judgment. Meanwhile, some old habits will be retained, and rightly so, meanwhile others, outmoded and outworn, must be abandoned. Let us move forward, then, into a new era of openness, effectiveness, and accountability, and intent on preserving on what ought to be preserved, perfecting whatever needs to be perfected, and pruning where ever we find practices that ought to be prohibited."

At last, there was a pause in her droning that registered with the students as the end of her speech. There was a general rise in the level of activity amongst the room, which unfortunately, Umbridge took to be a sign of approval of her speech. She waddled back to her desk, where she promptly extracted her wand from the depths of her handbag and gave the board behind her a sharp rap. Words instantly began to appear on its surface, as if drawn by some unseen hand: Defense Against the Dark Arts, A Return to Basic Principles.

A wave of relief washed through Ryou, as some the apprehension about using spells he'd never even heard of evaporated away. Back to basics meant he and Yugi might actually have a chance to catch up with the rest of the class.

"Well now, your teaching in this subject has been rather disrupted and fragmented, hasn't it?" stated Professor Umbridge, turning to face the class with her hands clasped neatly in front of her, "The constant changing of teachers, many of whom do not seem to have followed any Ministry-approved curriculum, has unfortunately resulted in your being far below the standard we would expect to see in your OWL year. You will be pleased to know, however, that these problems are now to be rectified. We will be following a carefully structured, theory-centred, Ministry-approved course of defensive magic this year. Copy down the following, please."

She gave the board another tap with her wand, and the previous heading promptly disapeared, only to be replaced by the heading "Course Aims"

-Understanding the principles underlying defensive magic.

-Learning to recognise situations in which defensive magic can legally be used.

- Placing the use of defensive magic in a context for practical use.

Everyone began to scribble down the aims, with the same half-hearted attention that they had given to their new professor during her little speech. The entire time Umbridge watched them with her beady squinted eyes, as the room was filled with the sounds of quills scrabbling against parchment.

"Now, I see everyone already has their textbooks out in front of them," Umbridge crowed, "So if you will all please turn to page 5, please begin reading the first chapter."

Ryou sighed and opened his book to the beginning, and only took a glance at the page before a feeling of disappointment washed over him. While he did have his doubts about how proficient he'd be with this new magic, he had also been looking forward to practicing it as well. He was just about to start reading, when Bakura's voice cut back into his thoughts.

_((Yandoushi. What are you doing?)) _The Thief King asked as if Ryou were about to burn himself by touching the book.

_(Reading.) _Ryou said shortly. Umbridge hadn't been too bad, but there was an air about her that defiantly spelled trouble,_ (You know...Like I'm supposed to?)_

_((Humph. Maybe the old hag should teach you how to grow a back bone, rather than some fancy magic tricks,)) _Bakura chided him, but without the usual venom behind it, _((It looks like His Royal Highness is about to start an uprising.))_

Ryou looked over at Yami puzzled by Bakura's comment, until he saw that Yami had yet to even touch the book in front of him. Instead, he sat leaned forward on the table, both hands clasped loosely and still looking at Umbridge as if he still expected her to have more to say. And he wasn't the only one. Sevral seats down, Hermione sat in her chair, book unopened in front of her as well, with her hand straight up in the air. Umbridge's eyes seemed to look everywhere else in the room, except for where they were sitting.

But Ryou and Bakura weren't the only ones to notice the blatant display of civil disobedience. One by one, students were quickly deciding that watching the so-far futile attempt to capture Umbridge's attention to be far more interesting than reading a chapter that might as well been written for toddlers. It wasn't until over half the class forsaken their assignment did Umbridge finally look up at Hermione.

"Yes dear?" She asked sweetly, as if she had just then noticed her, "Did you have a question about the chapter?"

"No, not about the chapter," Hermione said, "I have a query about your course aims."

There was a nearly imperceptible pause, as Professor Umbridge raised her eyebrows.

"And your name is?"

"Hermione Granger."

"Well, Miss Granger. I think the course aims are quite clear if you take the time to read them thoroughly," Umbridge said straightening her outfit from her seat behind the desk.

"But there's nothing up there about using defensive spells." Hermione persisted.

"I had noticed that myself," Yami said in a very diplomatic voice, straightening his posture a bit, "We will be practising the methods were reading about, correct?"

"Students must raise their hands if they wish to speak in my class Mr-?"

"Yugi Motu."

"But he's right isn't he?" Ryou joined in, "We will be learning to use these spells right?"

"Hand Mr-?"

"Ryou Bakura."

Ryou could have sworn he saw Umbridge make a quick note on a scrap of paper, before she re addressed him.

"Mr. Bakura," She said, the babyish sweet tone in her voice starting to become highly annoying, "Are you expecting to be attacked during my class?"

Ryou had to bite his bottom lip, as he exchanged a quick glance with Yami. He'd learned to live with the constant threat of being attacked for years. It was just sort of a package deal that came with being an Item Bearer. He opened his mouth to say something, when he felt the familiar prickle of magic trickle down his neck, as Bakura assumed control.

_(What are you doing?!) _Ryou exclaimed.

_((She said Mr. Bakura, not Mr. Ryou. Therefore I do believe she was speaking to me.))_

_(Bakura!)_

"To be entirely honest," Bakura said, in a perfect imitation of his hikari's voice, "I think the day you stop looking over your shoulder is the day someone'll slip a knife between your ribs."

Bakura let a small triumphant look slide onto his face, as a stunned and horrified look crept onto the professor's. Next to him, he heard the Pharaoh let out a long, relenting sigh, obviously resigning himself to a _very_ long year.

"Well," Umbridge said, quickly recovering her composure, "I can assure you nothing of the sort will be happening in this class. The Ministry has devised a new program that will allow you learn about defencive spells in a secure, risk-free way-"

"What good is that?," Harry piped up, "If we're going to be attacked, it won't be in a-"

"Your hand is not up Mr. Potter!" Professor Umbridge trilled shrilly, before turning away from him.

"Now, it is the view of the Ministry that a good theoretical knowledge will be more than sufficient to get you through your examinations-" Umbridge started again, before she was quickly interrupted.

"Being asked to use a spell in a situation under pressure, especially a dangerous one without attempting it beforehand is suicide! You might as well hand us each a death sentence now!" Yami exclaimed, starting to lose his temper. It didn't take half a thought to figure out their last night in Domino was still fresh in the former Pharaoh's mind.

"It's like he says," Harry said, his voice bolder now that there were others on his side, "What good is theory going to be in the real world?"

"This is school Mr. Potter," Umbridge said softly, "Not the real world."

"So we're not supposed to be prepared for what's waiting for us out there?" Harry nearly shouted back.

"There is nothing out there."

"Oh yeah?!"

"And just who would want to attack children like yourselves?" Umbrdge asked, almost daring Harry to go over the edge.

"Hmm...Maybe Lord Voldermort?" Harry huffed with mock thoughtfulness in his voice, "I'm sure you heard about what happened to Cedric Diggory?"

A ripple of worried murmurs and shocked gasps spread throughout the room, as if by saying the Dark Wizard's name Harry would summon him into their midst.

"Ten points from Gryffindor. And detention." Umbridge said with a sneer of triumph on her toadish face, "Cedric Diggory's death was a tragic accident, but as I'm sure that you've all heard stories about a certain Dark Wizard, I'm here to assure you, they're nothing but lies,"

That did it for Yami. Ignorance was something he could put up with, but such a blatant disregard for the loss of a life, for the purpose of maintaining pretences or not, stirred a raging fire in the pit of his stomach.

"A lie?" He said slowly standing up, the sound of his chair dragging across the stone floors capturing everyone's attention, "How can you possibly disregard someone's life as a 'tragic accident'?"

"I suggest you sit down Mr. Motu," Umbridge said dangerously, "And calm yourself before you join Mr. Potter in detention. Students shouldn't be speaking of such things when they have no idea what it is they're speaking about."

"They came to my home!" Yami shouted back at her. He had a glare set on his face that Bakura had once thought he reserved only for the Shadow Realm. Even Umbridge notice it and took and imperceptible step backwards from him as he continued on.

"Your 'Dark Wizards' attacked my friends, and would have killed us if we had given them the opportunity! Whatever fool is running your Ministry should be the one to shut his mouth and listen to what's going on around him, because he sounds like the only one that has no idea of what's happening around him!"

"Detention! And-"

"For what?" Bakura jumped in before the shaken professor could finish her sentence, "For hitting the nail on the head? To be honest, it sounds like all of this is to keep us from finding out what's really going on. If you ask me, I think your Ministry's covering this entire thing up, because you're scared about how much we really do know!"

There was a palpable silence in the room. Umbridge had turned a shade of pink that matched her cardigan with unnerving accuracy, as she stood there behind her desk fuming silently at such an unprecedented show of defiance. With a controlled motion, she sat back down at her desk and pulled out a slip of pink paper from her hand bag, before motioning for Yami, Bakura and Harry to come forward. The three walked up to her desk as she tapped the paper with the tip of her wand, sealing it seamlessly so it couldn't be opened.

"Take this to Professor McGonagal, and I will see the three of you Wednesday night for detention." She said the mockingly sweet tone back in her voice.

Harry made no attempt to conceal his frustration, as he snatched the note from her hand. Bakura really looked as if he didn't care one way or another about the situation he'd landed himself and his hikari in, but Yami still looked as if he were going to face off with the toad-faced witch. But instead, he turned away from her with a disgusted snort, and strode proudly out of the room behind his friends.

"So much for keeping a low-profile Pharaoh," Bakura jabbed at the fuming spirit, keeping his voice low enough so Harry couldn't hear them

"I will not be told by that woman that what happened to us was nothing more than some dreamed up hallucination," Yami snarled.

"You let the Priest."

"Only because he does it to convince himself." Yami said, catching Umbridge's placating voice drifting out of the door behind them preaching something about coming to her with any concerns, "But I won't take it coming from her."

------

Gotc: Yeah…….so it's been several weeks since my last post……I sincerely apologize for that. And to make it up to you, and extra long chappie!!! Hopefully college won't continue to drain my life away. Anyhoo, you guys know the drill, R&R and I'll have the next chapter up in something similar to a timely fashion.


	17. Suspicious Minds

Gotc: Annnnnnd we're off again!

Ace: Oh God……You do realize I just dug my way out from under the six foot high pile of laundry next to your closet right?

Gotc: Did you start a load?

Ace: No.

Gotc: Then get your butt back in the fic and be useful.

Ace: But I haven't even-

Gotc: MOVE!

Ace: Eep!

Gotc: I think I enjoy tormenting him so very much….Maybe I should see someone about that….Nah. Well folks, I must say I'm glad some of you are interested in the part Ace will be playing in this fic. Well, we're not quite there yet, but I think you will all be pleased with my plans for him and the plot. BUAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!! Erhem, sorry about that. Now I kept you all waiting long enough for the last chapter so let's get this all turned around a little quicker eh? SQUEAKY!!!

Squeaky: Squeak! (Sorry. Ace is the only thing around here to steal, although why anyone would want him is beyond me….)

Gotc: He has his moments. Now let us move along!!!

_Harry Potter and the Order of the Rising Dragon_

CHAPTER 16: Suspicious Minds

The walk to Professor McGonagall's office was silent, no one really having any desire to talk. At least to each other.

_(One day….Not even that! We didn't even make it all the way through our first day without you landing me in detention, and with that horrible woman no less!) _Ryou sighed, more disappointed than frustrated by this point. He'd learned a long time ago to just roll with whatever kind of mayhem the spirit seemed to attract.

_((Like I could let the Pharaoh get in trouble and skip out of there with a clean nose.)) _Bakura snorted, _((The Ishtar's would never let me hear the end of it.))_

_(Oh sorry, I forgot that it's sooo much worse to have Malik and Marik making fun of us…..)_

_((Why are you getting so worked up at me for?)) _Bakura asked, rounding on his hikari, _((Why not yell at his Highness? He's the one who was 'commanding' us to keep our heads down in the first place, and then he goes and pulls a stunt like that?))_

_(He must have had a reason-)_

_((What if I had a reason?!))_

_(You hardly ever have a reason, and when you do it's either: 'It was in my way', 'Something that shiny shouldn't be just sitting around like that', or 'Because I figured it would irritate the Pharaoh/Kaiba')_

_((Am I really getting that predictable?))_

Ryou rolled his eyes as he followed Harry down the hallway. He'd managed to re-take his body shortly after they'd left Umbridge's clutches, and surprisingly the spirit didn't put up much of a fight about it. Which led Ryou to the belief that Bakura really was serious about Yami getting in trouble and not him. A quick glance over at his companion confirmed that Yugi had taken control back as well. To anyone watching, the shorter teen walked with his eyes downcast, almost as if he were counting the floor tiles in front of him. However, Ryou knew the glazed over look in his eyes better than that, having worn it on his own face many times before. Only Yugi didn't look mad or confused, as Ryou usually did. Instead he looked truly concerned, and deep in thought. But it only lasted for a moment, before he blinked once and refocused his gaze back on the world around him.

"Hey…" Harry said, slowing up to face the two, "Thanks for that back there."

"For what?" Yugi asked, looking at Harry, "I think we just made things worse."

"Yeah…" Ryou sighed, "It seems to be a talent of ours."

"No," Harry chuckled humorlessly, "I met Umbridge this summer, and I think she's had it out for me ever since then."

The young wizard scratched the back of his head in weary frustration, looking up at the ceiling several stories above him, as if it held the answers to all of his problems.

"It's been like this all summer," He said shaking his head, "People think I'm some kind of nutter after what happened at the end of term last year. I mean sure everyone back at the Order believe me, but everyone else? Well, you guys heard about what happened with Seamus last night didn't you?"

"The quick version, but yeah," Yugi admitted.

"I have the feeling it's only going to get worse from here on out," Harry said, "But you guys standing up to Umbridge in there, saying I wasn't the only one….I dunno, it just felt good to know I'm not in this by myself."

_(Hear that Bakura? You actually were nice to someone.)_

_((It wasn't intentional and you know it!))_

"To be honest," Ryou said with a chuckle, "I'm just glad to be away from that hat of hers…"

"No kidding!"

The three shared a laugh at their professor's expense, when a door to their left swung open, revealing Professor McGonagall with an uninviting look emanating from behind her glasses.

"What on Earth are you three doing out of your classes?" She demanded, effectively reminding the three why they'd been spared the rest of Umbridge's class in the first place.

"We were sent to see you," Harry said grudgingly holding out the sealed note they'd been given.

"All of you?" McGonagall asked with searching eyes as she took the note and slit it open with a tap from her wand.

Her eyes scanned the paper, carefully reading each line, her expression becoming more and more difficult to read with every passing second. When she did finally finish it, she only slipped the note into her robes and turned her back to the boys.

"Come inside," She said curtly, heading inside without even making sure they would follow her directions.

Harry let out a heavy sigh, and obediently followed her in, while Yugi and Ryou hesitated for a moment before following suit. As soon as all three were inside the office's threshold, the doors swung shut behind them with an ominous thud. McGonagall took a seat at her desk, setting the note out in front of her, and watching the boys carefully.

"Is it true?" She asked after an uncomfortable moment of silence.

"Professor?"

"Did you three shout at Professor Umbridge?"

"Yes."

"And you called her a liar?"

"Not outright-"

"And you told her He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named is back?"

"Yes."

Shaking her head, McGonagall removed her glasses to rub the bridge of her nose in an attempt to alleviate the headache she could already feel manifesting.

"Have a biscuit you three."

"What?"

"Have a biscuit," McGonagall repeated, waving her hand at a small checkered tin laying amongst piles of papers on her desk, "And sit down."

The three all exchanged confused looks. They had expected some kind of an outburst, rather than a show of hospitality from such a stern-looking woman. Cautiously, they all reached for a Ginger Newt, and found a seat, as McGonagall continued to eye them seriously.

"You three need to be careful," She said quietly in a voice that almost sounded human, in place of the crisp, no-nonsense tone that had become associated with her, "Misbehaviour in Dolores Umbridge's class could cost you much more than house points and a detention."

"What do you-" Ryou started to say

"Use your common sense!" She snapped, the human quality in her voice gone as quickly as it had come, "I'm guessing you all heard her little speech before you were kicked out of her class?"

"Yeah," Harry shrugged.

"It's the same one she gave to the rest of the faculty this morning," McGonagall sighed, And you Potter, should know where she comes from and who she reports to better than most."

Somewhere outside, a bell trilled and the distinctive rustle of students pouring into the halls seeped into the office. McGonagall gave the note in front of her a small tap with her finger, as she stood up.

"This says you will be having detention with Professor Umbridge every night this week, starting Wednesday night."

"What!?" The three exclaimed, horrified by the very idea of being around the toadish woman any more than absolutely necessary.

"Professor," Harry pleaded, "Couldn't you-"

"No I couldn't," She said curtly, extinguishing all hope to overturn their punishment.

"We were telling the truth!" Yugi pointed out, "If there's a threat to the rest of the students, she's only going to-"

"This isn't about who's right and wrong!" McGonagall shouted, slamming one hand down onto her desk, "It's about keeping your head down and holding your tongue!"

For a moment, there was a stalemate between students and teacher, as both sides resolute in their thinking refused to believe the other was right. At last, the three students stood up, heads down in defeat, although neither wanting to admit it.

"Understand Professor Umbridge is here for a reason," McGonagall said, "And that she'll do whatever it takes to help the Ministry gain a foothold here at Hogwarts, even if that means she has to make examples out of people along the way."

Then she looked right at Yugi and Ryou, her green eyes boring holes into them as if to make a place to store her next words.

"You two need to be exceedingly careful in how much about your escape you give to anyone, not just Delores Umbridge," She said carefully, "The Ministry doesn't yet know all the details, and you could give away the Order without meaning to."

Yugi and Ryou nodded solemnly in agreement, although not quite meeting the professor's sharp gaze. It was like some unspoken arrangement between them. The Ministry was still in the dark about them, but even the Order was missing a large part of the story and they were well aware of that, even if they didn't push the boys for information. McGonagall didn't push the fact either, as she opened the door for the boys and pointed them out of her office.

----

"What happened to '_laying low_'?!"

Yugi and Ryou had been dreading dinnertime ever since their dismissal from McGonagall's office. News travelled even faster in the magical community it seemed than in the digital one. Everywhere they went, they had heard whispers and murmurs about the shouting match that had taken place in Umbridge's class. They had yet to decide which was worse: the gossip itself, or the looks they received when they passed a whispering group. No one was making any attempt really to conceal the topic of their conversations and it was getting to the point of being unbearable. Even amongst the Gryffindors there were inquisitive stares coming from all angles, punctuated by the hushed and garbled conversations.

Harry looked to be having an equally miserable time, but was offered some relief from the stares by sitting with Ron and Hermione. Yugi and Ryou had ended up retreating to a semi-deserted end of the long table, in an attempt to find some respite, only to have and angry Malik and Kaiba descend on them.

"Look Kaiba," Yugi tried to explain, "It wasn't-"

"I don't want to hear to hear your excuse!" The livid CEO growled through clenched teeth, trying to keep from yelling as he would if they were back in his office, "On top of having to run my company long-distance and this school work, I do not want to add babysitting you three to my list of things to do! You do realize that woman will be out for all of us now, right?"

"Oh get over it," Malik turned on Kaiba, "Now Marik and I are gonna have to work twice as hard to make her life miserable now that she's gonna be doing the same to me!"

"Do you just plan on being hated by everyone you encounter Malik?" Yugi asked wearily, propping up his head with one hand, "Or is it just a gift?"

"You mental ward rejects are missing the point!" Kaiba hissed, shooting a glare at a group of second years, sending them scurrying for safer ground, "People are suspicious about us! I had someone ask me today about how we managed to get out of Domino with Death Eaters on our tails! And you drawing attention to us isn't helping!"

"Kaiba, _we _don't even know how we managed to do it. Besides, Bakura isn't exactly the easiest person to reason with when he gets an idea in his head," Ryou pointed out, "When he has an opinion, he's going to let you know about it."

"I don't care! If you don't get your psychotic episodes under control," Kaiba warned, "We're all going to be in trouble!"

Kaiba didn't say another word as he turned and stalked off towards the Ravenclaw dormitory. Several people were all crowded around the doorway, but scrambled to get out of his way as he walked through, as if touching him would cause them to burst into flames.

"He's just grumpy because they don't serve strong enough coffee here," Malik dismissed Kaiba's threat, "How are your headaches by the way?"

Yugi shrugged.

"About the same I guess," He said, "More tolerable maybe, but that might just be adjusting to it. Yami's been swapping out with me throughout the day to give me a break. How 'bout you Ryou?"

Ryou actually had to think about it for a moment. He hadn't really noticed the pounding as he had earlier, and he couldn't think of when it had subsided. He could still feel it, but it was distant, almost compartmentalized away into a small box in the furthest reaches of his mind.

"I don't hurt anymore really...," He admitted, "It's still there, just not hammering away at the inside of my skull."

"Good," Malik said, " 'Cause Marik wanted to explore the castle a little more tonight, and wants Bakura to come with us."

"You do realize we have homework right?"

_((Correction Yandoushi, __you__ and the Pharaoh's clone have homework. My evenings are free.))_

Ryou rolled his eyes, ignoring the voice in his head, knowing it wasn't any good to argue with the spirit. Yugi continued to pick at his plate or a minute longer, before giving up on rousing his appetite and pushed it away from him.

"I think I'm gonna go to the library and start some of that homework," Yugi sighed picking up his bag, "I doubt it's going to be any better tomorrow, especially with Umbridge's detentions."

"I'll come too," Ryou agreed, noting all of the looks that were still coming their way, "Anywhere's better than here. What about you Malik?"

"Eh, why not," The Egyptian shrugged, "It's not like I've got anything better to do now anyway. WE'RE LEAVING, SO YOU CAN ALL STOP STARING NOW!"

Yugi and Ryou suppressed a grin as half of the Great Hall suddenly turned back to their dinner, as if it was the best meal they'd ever eaten in their lives. Malik seemed satisfied enough with the results, and followed the other two out of the Great Hall, not once looking back.

"Strange bunch aren't they?" Ron said cramming another bite of apple pie into his mouth, once the new students were out of sight.

"No stranger than anything else around here," Harry said, doing his best to ignore the attention that was now focused solely on him.

"Maybe a bit more than normal..." Hermione mused, still glancing back at the door where the three had left, "I was a bit surprised by some of the things Ryou said today in class."

"Which bit? The Ministry bashing or the knife comment?" Ron said sarcastically.

"Both," Hermione said, lowering her voice, "He just didn't seem like himself today. Even Yugi was a little...well off."

"You weren't exactly in character yourself today either," Harry pointed out, feeling the familiar frustration boiling back to the surface, "You were right there with us attacking Umbridge."

"I wasn't _attacking_ anybody," Hermione argued back with a highly affronted look on her face, "All I'm saying is the whole time they were with us at Snuffle's, Ryou and Yugi just didn't seem like the type to get so upset like that. They were almost different people entirely."

"Well if you haven't noticed," Harry said standing up, "Our newest and dearest professor seems to have the innate ability to do that to people. And why do you have to go criticizing the only other people in this castle who actually believe me?!"

"They aren't the only ones who believe you Harry," Hermione said, making subtle gestures for him to sit back down, "But you don't understand how everything looked when you came back clutching Cedric's dead body, and Dumbledore said you'd fought You-Know-Who. Then everyone went home for the summer, where they spent two months reading about how you're a nutcase and Dumbledore's going senile!"

Harry was about to open his mouth to retaliate, when he realized he was drawing stares from just about everyone nearby. They all had the same eager looks on their faces, as if they wanted him to break out into another bout of shouting.

"Forget it," Harry sighed, hastily grabbing his own things, "Let's just get out of here."

Hermione didn't object to the idea, briskly gathering her bag and getting up after Harry. Ron hesitated for a moment, wondering if the attention was worth finishing his desert, but in the end decided to head off after his friends. Harry had to grind his teeth to keep from repeating Malik's earlier stunt and bellowing his irritation at the other students staring at them the whole way out the door.

The walk back to the Gryffindor common room was filled with a strained silence, with nothing but the steady drumming of rain on the windows droning in the background. Stacks of homework, his first zero of the year, and detention. It felt like time had slowed down, simply to see how many marks against himself Harry could accumulate throughout the day. A quick glance out the window confirmed that even the warm glow of light that usually came from Hagrid's cabin was still absent. Even the woods seemed unusually dark and more unwelcoming than normal-

Harry blinked once, thinking maybe it was the rivulets of water obscuring his vision. Staring hard into the trees, he could have sworn he saw two bright topaz eyes looking back at him from the depths of the forest.

"Hey!" He shouted after Ron and Hermione, looking away for a moment, "There's something outside!"

Ron and Hermione stopped and turned back to the window, peering out into the darkness to catch a glimpse of what Harry was talking about.

"Harry," Ron said uncertainly, "There's nothing out there..."

"Yes there is!" Harry insisted, "It's over there in the...trees..."

Harry scoured the spot where he had seen the eyes shining like two golden gems, but found nothing but dark blots of wet, shadowy leaves. Confused, Harry shook his head, wondering for a moment himself if perhaps he was going crazy.

"I know I saw something..."

"Well I don't know about seeing things," Ron said turning around, "But I think I'm starting to hear things..."

"Knock it off Ron," Harry said, not wanting to hear anymore taunts that evening.

"I don't think he's joking Harry," Hermione said cocking her head a little , to better hear the faint voices, "It sounds like they're coming from the Forbidden Corridor."

"Hardly forbidden now," Ron pointed out.

"Oh will you come on?!" Hermione sighed exasperatedly, grabbing hold of Ron's robes and towing him along behind her.

Not about to be left out, Harry jogged alongside the two, until they rounded the corner leading to the former out-of-bounds corridor. Hermione suddenly stopped dead in her tracks, upon hearing the voices from before only much louder. They sounded familiar, but whoever it was, was talking too fast to catch any coherent words. Cautiously, the three peered around the corner, careful to stay as quiet and out of sight as possible. Of course, that became exceedingly difficult when the first thing to meet their eyes, were three outlandish hairstyles belonging to none other than Yugi, Ryou and Malik.

Exchanging wordless glances of surprise, Harry, Ron and Hermione looked on as the three exchange students seemed to be having some sort of argument that was getting worse with every passing moment. All three were obviously agitated about something, but it almost looked like Yugi was bearing the brunt of the confrontation from the other too. Not that he wasn't holding his ground. The supposedly shy teen now looked like he would have strangled his companions if given the opportunity, and his voice was steadily getting louder with every passing moment.

"I thought they were going to the library," Ron whispered in a barely audible voice, "Do you think they got lost?"

"Shh," Harry hissed, "Can anyone hear what they're saying?"

"Yes... But," Hermione hesitated after a moment, "It doesn't make any sense."

"What are you talking about?" Ron demanded, "It's not like they're speaking in some other language."

"That's just it," Hermione said, "They're not speaking English. It's ancient Egyptian."

----------------

Gotc: Bwahahahahahahahahahahaha! So much for being careful.... But beware! There are worse things lurking about in the castle! And perhaps even bigger secrets!....Or I could be lying for the reviews and return viewership....either way! You all know the drill by now, make me happy and click that little button down in the left hand corner there and tell me what you thought! I would love to break 100 reviews for the first time ever...((Cough, cough, hint, hint)) Laters!


	18. Shades of Blue

Gotc: YYYYYYYYYYEEEEEEEEEEESSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!AHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! 100 REVIEWS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Ace: Wow…even I'm impressed.

Gotc: So glad you approve! Ahhhhh…what a happy day! And for such an occasion: I dedicate this chapter to those loyal viewers who have been so loyally reviewing for the last 17 chapters!!!

Ace: That's all it's been? God…and it's nowhere near over…

Gotc: Nope! So get used to it! Now let's get on with this review train! SQUEAKY!!

Squeaky: Squeak! (Since this is dedicated to you who know what's going on, I feel no need to repeat myself.)

Gotc: Eh, whatever. No stealing, have fun, all that jazz.

----------

_Harry Potter and the Order of the Rising Dragon_

CHAPTER 17: Shades of Blue

There was silence amongst the three, save for the occasional word or two loud enough to reach their ears from across the veiled corridor. Ron had a disbelieving look all over his face, while Harry and Hermione stared straight ahead as if it would help them understand the conversation any better.

"Are you sure it's ancient Egyptian?" Ron asked quietly, "How do you know it's not just Japanese or something-"

"Ron, maybe if you would take a useful class like Ancient Runes instead of that nonsense people call Divination," Hermione hissed, "Then maybe you'd be able to tell the difference."

"Can you tell what they're saying?" Harry asked anxiously.

"I don't know," Hermione said with doubt in her voice, "I've only read a few tablets, and we've only just started in Egypt-"

The sudden sound of someone clearing their throat from the hall behind them caught the three's attention with an unsettling start. They spun around on the spot, eyes wide with shock at being caught in what should have been a deserted hallway. But when they turned to face whoever had startled them, the hall was just as empty as they last saw it.

"Who-"

"Over here," The same voice chuckled with obvious amusement, scaring the three once again.

Right next to them on the opposite side of the hall, stood Professor Cooper. He was leaning against the wall, both arms folded across his chest and one foot against the stone behind him. A knowing grin was plastered all over his face, and his blue eyes shone out of the shadows he stood enveloped in.

"Professor!" Hermione started, shaken at being caught off-guard.

"You know," Cooper said, glancing about the hall rather nonchalantly, "There's something I don't quite get. Why would the three of you be sneaking about this part of the castle at this time of day, well night actually isn't it?"

There was no trace of discipline or even cruel mockery that seemed to suit Professor Umbridge so well in Professor Cooper's voice or features. Instead he looked like a mother who had just caught her child with his hand in the cookie jar.

"We were on our way to the library," Harry hurriedly explained, then gestured out to the hall where Yugi and the others were standing, "But we just got….side..tracked."

Harry followed his own gesture and looked out to where they had been watching the three exchange students arguing only moments before. But in the few moments they had turned their backs, the three had vanished into thin air. Harry stared at the spot long enough for Professor Cooper to crane his neck slightly to catch a glimpse of whatever Harry _wasn't_ looking at. He quirked an eyebrow, before glancing back at the students.

"You see something I don't?" He asked.

"No Professor," Harry stammered, shaking off his confusion, "I guess not."

"Well, get your eyes checked if that keeps happening," The Professor said with a light laugh, "But I do suggest you three get moving before that old caretaker of yours comes through here in a few minutes. I bet he'd be pretty interested as to what you all are doing out here."

"Of course Professor," Hermione said quickly, almost pushing Ron and Harry towards the stairwell.

"Good night," Cooper said easily, before stopping them one more time, "And by the way…"

The three winced; expecting some sort of reprimand to follow the statement left hanging in the air.

"You don't have to keep calling me "Professor"," He laughed, "My name's Ace, and I don't mind if you use it."

Harry, Ron and Hermione all exchanged glances as if they had just dodged the proverbial bullet. No missing points, no extra detention, and hardly even a warning. Instead of questioning it though, they gave a quick nod of acknowledgement and hurried onward without looking back. Ace shook his head, still grinning until the three were well out of his sight, before his features melted into concentration, as he turned his gaze back to the spot where Harry had pointed. He stared at it hard for a few seconds, almost expecting something to come leaping out from behind one of the narrow pillars, but simply shrugged after a moment and sauntered off with both hands in his pockets.

----

"Why are you two idiots doing this again?!" Yami sighed following behind Bakura and Marik, as the three rounded another corned into an empty corridor, "We have homework to do-"

"Our hikaris have homework. We're spirits thousands of years old wielding magical items with the power to warp reality as we see fit." Bakura huffed with a matter-of-factly tone, "We don't have to do a damn thing."

"Speak for yourself," Marik snorted in mock offence, "You and the Pharaoh may be older than the sands, but I am nowhere near as decrepit as you two."

"Half as old, twice as crazy," Bakura rolled his eyes, "It all evens out in the end. Now shut up, I hear another one coming."

In a single fluid motion, the three pressed themselves into the shadows of the corridor, as Bakura harnessed the magic that constructed a veil around them. Just as the illusion took hold, one of the school's ghosts came drifting into view. Barely able to contain his snickering, Marik pulled a card out from his deck and held it loosely between his fingers as he summoned it from the Shadow Realm. The ghost went floating past them, when a pale green specter snuck silently up behind it before Marik whispered something to the card in his hand, and the monster spat an enormous amount of transparent snot-like goo right on the top of the unsuspecting spirit's head. It cackled deviously with success, before vanishing into the darkness once more, while the ghost let out a stream of curses while it tried to scrape the goo away, before muttering something about being peeved. When it had finally gone, Bakura dismissed the veil and he and Marik laughed so hard they had to lean against the wall for support. Yami only shook his head in disapproval, continuously looking over his shoulder in case someone should be watching.

"Oh come on your Royal Highness," Bakura said pushing himself up, "Even you had to admit that was funny."

"No, and it'll be even less funny when someone hands us even more detentions for antagonizing the ghosts," Yami snorted.

"Gods Pharaoh, why did you even come if you weren't going to at least have some fun?"

"Because someone has to make sure you two won't turn this castle on its head while everyone's sleeping." Yami sighed, "And I don't trust Kaiba to do it, since one or both of you would probably have some monster cart him off to the Shadow Realm."

"Oh please. We wouldn't even dream about subjecting the Shadows to that." Bakura said, "Your girlfriend's little friendship speeches are bad enough, I think Kaiba's lectures are even worse torture than having your soul ripped out."

Yami had no chance to respond, before the Millennium Puzzle began to glow and very suddenly became red-hot against his chest. A sudden yelp, and the clang of stone against metal confirmed that Marik had dropped the Rod, and Bakura was swearing as he was fighting to pull the Ring out of the folds of his robes. The last time this had happened, Death Eaters had swarmed them like insects from all sides. Yami's hand flew to his deck, one of the gods on top and ready to make those pathetic cowards pay for what they'd done. Bakura and Marik had recovered too, and they were both scanning the area for anything out of the ordinary. But nothing leapt out at them, no bursts of magic, no attack. And yet there was a steady burn still coming from the Items.

"Well, where are they?" Yami growled.

"Do you really think they could get into this castle undetected?" Bakura hissed back, "Someone would have seen them and raised an alarm. Besides, I'd be the only one in the world with the skill to attack someone in their own stronghold."

"Or with enough stupidity!"

"Shut the hell up both of you and just hide us!" Marik barked, raising his voice a little more than he wanted to.

Bakura snarled something under his breath, before the veil encompassed the three just in time for Harry and Professor Cooper to step out into the open looking where they had been standing moments before. Yami glared hard at the back of Bakura's skull, trying to bore holes in the thick bone.

"Do you see something I don't?" Professor Cooper's voice drifted to where they were hiding.

"No Professor," Harry stammered, in response "I guess not."

"Well, get your eyes checked if that keeps happening," The Professor said with a light laugh, "But I do suggest you three get moving before that old caretaker of yours comes through here in a few minutes. I bet he'd be pretty interested as to what you all are doing out here."

There was a muddle of voices issuing their good nights as the students departed, but Professor Cooper remained where he was. His gaze turned to the spot where the three spirits were waiting silently for the chance to make their escape. It was an unnerving stare, not angry or confused, but almost like he was trying to see past the magic that concealed them. Even from a distance it was unnerving. They were no stranger to glares and hard stares, Kaiba's had even lost its sharp edge as of late, but this man wasn't Kaiba and there was something different in his eyes. They weren't the color of cold steel like their friend's, but rather the blue one sees flicker for a brief instant in the very heart of a flame.

At last, he seemed satisfied that nothing was there, and strode of down the opposite hall. There was a collective sigh of relief as Bakura dispelled the magic, and the three reappeared in the hall.

"How much do you think they saw?" Marik asked once the coast was clear.

"Enough to make them suspicious of us for the rest of the year," Yami sighed in frustration, "Well Thief? Do you think we could try to get back to the tower before they do to have some kind of story?"

"That depends, do you want to get there in one or six pieces?"

"It'll be six if we don't go soon," Marik said, his head snapping around at hearing plodding footsteps coming from around one of the corridors, "I'll see you guys later. And good luck!"

"Yeah," Yami said rolling his eyes, "We're gonna need it…"

This time, the Items did not glow red hot, as a pair of cobalt eyes watched them from the shadows…..

---

Gotc: Sorry for the shorter chappie. Class and finals are stressin me out! But to reiterate my earlier joy….100 REVIEWS!!!! So I am setting the next goal at 200, and only you, the loyal viewers of , can make that dream become a reality! So I'm off to class, but I hope you all enjoyed the chappie, and I'll have the next installment up soon!!! Laters!


	19. Always Watching

Gotc: I hate finals. But they're over now and the happy fun time of reviewing known only as Summer Vacation can now begin!

Ace: Enjoy it while it lasts. Not that reading your drivel more frequently should be anything worth celebrating.

Gotc: Did I tell you I'm moving your stuff to my basement to live with the rats? But ignoring the disembodied voice I'm now choosing to ignore, let's move on with this chappie! Squeaky!

Squeaky: Squeak! (No ownage here, but look out for disembodied voices.)

Gotc: Very good. Now move along and enjoy!

_Harry Potter and the Order of the Rising Dragon_

CHAPTER 18: Always Watching

Hermione practically jogged back to the Gryffindor common room, dragging Harry and Ron with her all the way. Even the Fat Lady seemed surprised by her abrupt behavior, as the young witch forced her way past the opening and rushed into the room.

"I'll be right back," She announced without even turning around to her companions, and disappeared up the stairs to the girl's dormitories.

"What do you think she's after?" Ron asked his friend, flopping into an available chair by the fire.

"Dunno," Harry shrugged following suit, "I still don't understand how they managed to vanish like that. I mean there's no apparating in the school so how-"

Harry's thought was cut off by a large book dropping onto one of the side tables next to him. Hermione took a seat next to them, and opened the other book she still had in her arms.

"Don't tell me…" Ron scoffed, "Light reading?"

"It's OWL year Ron," Hermione said, without even looking up as she flipped through the pages, "I figured it couldn't hurt to have a little extra studying under my belt before exams."

"That's not extra Hermione," Ron said resting his head on one hand, "That's excessive."

Hermione spared an irritated glance at her friend for a moment, before going back to the gigantic book in front of her. Harry couldn't make heads or tails of the massive tome, since most of the pages were covered with scrawling lines of runes and hieroglyphs. Plus, Hermione was rushing through so quickly, he didn't have time to catch more than a brief glimpse of each page before she flipped on to the next one.

"It wasn't quite a late dialect…." She mused to no one in particular, carful to keep her voice down so she wouldn't be over heard, "An Old Kingdom pronunciation perhaps…."

"There's different ways to pronounce the same word?" Ron asked incredulously.

"There's different dialects throughout Egypt's history," Hermione said, not looking up, "We have to be able to tell them apart, or you could risk mistranslating something. Here."

Hermione brought a finger to rest on a line of hieroglyphics, as her eyes scanned the page. Whatever she was reading, obviously wasn't much to her liking, as her eyes seemed to get wider with every passing second.

"What does it say!" Harry demanded starting to get impatient

"Well..I…I couldn't translate everything," Hermione stuttered, "But they definitely mentioned something about tearing out souls and torture."

"WHAT?!"

Harry had to bite down on his tongue as a couple of first-years cast him an odd look at his outburst. Forcing an embarrassed grin to his face, he didn't look back at Hermione until they had walked off.

"Are you sure that's what they said," He asked in a much lower voice this time.

"Positive," Hermione nodded, "They were talking about a shadow too."

"A shadow?"

"Maybe it means like darkness or something," Ron suggested, "It was starting to get dark out."

"Or Dark Lord." Harry pointed out feeling bile rise up in his throat.

"We don't know that Harry," Hermione said skimming back over the page, looking for something she might have missed, "I missed a lot of the conversation-"

"How many other things come to mind when you're talking about souls, torture, and darkness?" Harry snapped, feeling his scar prickle.

"You think they're Death Eaters?" Ron asked.

"I think they're not who they make themselves out to be," Harry said, "McGonagall said something about not giving away too much about how they managed to get away from the Death Eaters in Domino before the Order saved them. I don't think even Dumbledore really knows how they did it."

"You think it was all just a rouse to get them into the Order's headquarters?" Hermione thought out loud.

"Well how many students has Hogwarts ever admitted 5 years late?"

The three sat silently for a while, as that thought sank in. In Harry's mind, this was worse than Malfoy. At least he knew where he stood with the Slytherin golden boy. But Yugi and the others? His thoughts drifted back to their confrontation with Umbridge earlier in the day. As much as he hated to admit it, they _had_ acted different; like different people as Hermione had put it.

Harry sighed and laid his head in both hands, as a dull ache seemed to settle in just behind his scar. He wondered vaguely for a moment what it must be like to have a _normal_ year. No conspiracies, no madman out to kill him, no evil teachers bent on making his life hell. He'd come to expect some kind of turmoil every time he set foot in this school, but he just never thought he'd have to look for it in his own house.

Just then, the portrait hole swung open, and Yugi and Ryou came into the common room each carrying a stack of books. Yugi was obviously having trouble with his stack, judging by how he couldn't quite see over the top of the books and tripped before he had taken two steps. Harry felt like maybe he should have gone to help the teen, instead of pretending he was working on his potions essay. Harry noticed out of the corner of his eye that the two seemed to be glancing every now and again in their direction as they picked up the books. He halfway expected them to come over and try to brush the whole situation off, but the pair made no move of doing so and instead headed up to the dormitories for the night.

Looking back down at his essay, Harry sighed and started to put his books away. There was simply too much on his mind to worry about moonstones tonight. The pile of homework he still had waiting just seemed oddly insignificant next to the mountain of suspicion that had settled in his stomach.

"I'm going to bed." He announced gathering the rest of his things. Even if he couldn't fall asleep, maybe his presence would be enough to deter the two from anymore nightly jaunts or conversations about their souls.

"I might as well too," Hermione agreed, "I can't concentrate on this now anyway."

She and Ron began following suit, when Hermione stopped for a moment and pulled out two misshapen knitted blobs and placed them down on the end table before covering them with a few scraps of used parchment and a broken quill.

"What are you doing?" Ron asked, looking at her as if she had lost her mind.

"They're hats." She said in a very matter-of-factly tone, "For S.P.E.W. I knitted them myself over the summer. I'm terribly slow at it without magic, but now that I'm back at school, I should be able to make loads more!"

Harry shook his head. Hermione had just as much homework, or perhaps even more than he did, and she was talking about having enough free-time to knit.

"You're trying to trick the house-elves into being freed!" Ron accused her, as her intentions sank in.

"I'm not tricking anybody!" She defended herself, now throwing books back into her bag, "Those house-elves _want _to be freed! And don't you even think about touching those hats!"

Ron and Harry watched her storm up the stairs looking highly affronted by such a remark, before Ron removed the trash piled on top of the woolen hats. He nodded his head in satisfaction before picking up his own bag and heading off to bed.

"The house-elves should at least see what they're picking up," He said with a yawn.

A small grin crossed Harry's face as he sleepily made his way to his own bunk. Yugi and Ryou were already sound asleep and splayed out across their beds, a fact which put Harry's mind slightly more at ease, despite the tingle that persisted just behind his scar.

-----

The next morning was just as bad as the day before. Dawn, if you could even call it that, had failed to chase away the persistent overhanging clouds that only served to dampen any hopes for a better morning.

Yugi and Ryou had still been asleep when most of the Gryffindors had headed off to breakfast, and had to practically run downstairs to catch up with everyone. Harry was making a titanic effort not to watch their every move, especially when Malik once again vacated his seat at the Slytherin table to sit with his friends, blatantly ignoring the looks he was getting.

"Well, at least we won't see Snape today," Ron said trying to force some cheer into his voice that was obviously as discouraged as the rest of the school by the abysmal weather.

"Or Hagrid," Harry muttered, noting the continued absence of their Care of Magical Creatures Professor.

What did catch his attention was Professor Cooper as he strolled in through the main doors. As he passed by the Gryffindor table, Harry could just make out the faintest glimmer of sweat on the muggle professor's brow. He didn't have much time to look though, before he headed straight for them and gave Harry a hard clap on the back as he passed by.

"Didn't stay up to late last night did ya'?" He asked in a voice a bit louder than Harry would have cared for.

"No sir," Hermione said quickly before Harry could respond.

"Good," Cooper beamed, before walking away and resuming his journey to the Teacher's Table.

"Well that was odd…" Ron remarked, after the professor had walked out of earshot.

"No kidding," Harry said, now painfully aware of how many more stares he was getting now, "Did he have to do that in front of everyone like that?"

"I don't think he meant to embarrass you Harry," Hermione said pouring herself a cup of coffee, "He's a muggle, remember? I doubt he has any idea about what happened at the end of term last year."

Harry had to agree with her, but it still didn't make the hundreds of pairs of inquiring eyes any easier to bear. Picking at his breakfast, he stole a look up at the Teacher's Table again. Professor Cooper had found his way to Flitwick and they seemed to be enjoying a very lively conversation. They were too far off for Harry to make out what was being said, but it was certainly putting the Charms teacher in a wonderful mood.

A fleeting feeling of envy washed over Harry; Professor Cooper wasn't even a wizard and he was having a better time of fitting in than Harry ever had. Not that it was surprising; the new professor seemed to be a very charismatic man and the type who would leave an impression no matter where he went. But the thought did little to brighten Harry's mood as they all shuffled off to their classes.

---

"What you must remember," said little Professor Flitwick squeakily perched as ever on a pile of

books so that he could see over the top of his desk, "is that these examinations may influence

your futures for many years to come! If you have not already given serious thought to your

careers, now is the time to do so. And in the meantime, I'm afraid, we shall be working harder

than ever to ensure that you all do yourselves justice!"

The class gave a collective groan, already bored from hearing the same OWL speech for two days straight. Harry and Ron found themselves joining the group, remembering the still monstrous pile of homework they had yet to finish.

"Today we will be working on Summoning charms," The diminutive professor continued on, "Such charms are bound to come up in your OWL so it's important for everyone to practice them."

They started with feathers, which made Harry feel like a first-year once again as he tried to get his feather to move towards him. Sure, he'd been able to call his broom last year, but with so much on his mind he was finding it nearly impossible to concentrate. Of course, he wasn't the only one.

_//How ridiculous!// _Yami grumbled as he watched his hikari unsuccessfully call his feather, _//Summoning magic should be used for more important things! Not having trinkets scurry across the desk to your hand because you're too lazy to pick them up yourself!//_

_((I think I might agree with you Pharaoh…)) _Bakura huffed. Ryou was making no more progress than Yugi.

_/This would be easier if the magics weren't so conflicting,/_ Yugi sighed, taking a break, _/I feel the Puzzle flare up every time I try to cast a spell and negates it./_

_//We could try and combine the two, rather than have them working against each other,//_ Yami suggested.

_/I'm not that great at controlling the Puzzle as it is,/ _Yugi pointed out, _/Much less keeping track of this new stuff mixed with it./_

_// Don't worry Aibou,// _Yami assured his lighter half, //_I won't leave you to do this on your own.//_

A thin smile crept onto Yugi's face as he closed his eyes and reached for the magic within the Puzzle hidden beneath his robes. As he felt the first tendrils of magic, he could tell Yami was keeping the majority of it in check, so Yugi could work at melding small bits of it at a time.

It was like trying to push two magnets together that kept repelling away from one another. The closer and tighter Yugi bound the magics together, the more they resisted it. The energies coming from the Millennium Puzzle were far greater than the ones the spell required him to use, but by no means did that make it any simpler to overcome. Then all of a sudden, Yugi found the balance between the two and everything seemed to click into place, without him having to force it to stay there.

Tentatively, Yugi tried the spell again, and this time, the feather came to him without hesitation. Ryou gave his friend a disbelieving stare, until Yugi quickly passed on the advice. It wasn't long before both of them had the charm down, and had earned the applause of Professor Flitwick as he dismissed the class, but not before assigning them another mound of homework on top of what the rest of the class was given to help them catch up with the rest of the fifth years.

Even so, Yugi and Ryou couldn't help but feel some sort of satisfaction at their accomplishment when the rest of the class, save Hermione, had struggled with the spell. Transfiguration was another story. Moving a feather had been one thing, but making a snail seemingly vanish into thin air was another story, especially with Professor McGonagall scrutinizing their every move.

_((What about the Shadow Realm?)) _Bakura grumbled, _((It'll disappear then…))_

_(You are not going to send the snail to the Shadow Realm!)_

_((Snail? I was talking about the Professor.))_

Yugi had no better luck, and was disappointed after they'd managed to do well in their last class. Of course, it was probably best they didn't come off as experts anyway when this was supposed to be some of the first spells they'd ever practiced. Still, leaving Transfiguration, even with another armload of assignments, was a relief.

Any hope of the day getting better was almost instantly ruined as the Gryffindors trudged across the lawn towards Care of Magical Creatures. They sky had still stubbornly refused to make up its mind to rain or clear up and continuously spat raindrops at the students below. The only good thing about the whole situation, was Malik managed to break away from the rest of the Slytherins to join up with his own friends. Yugi could tell none of his fellow housemates were pleased with the idea of having class with their biggest rivals, but the thought was soon replaced by curiosity at the condition of the other house. Mud caked their clothes, and everyone looked as if they were out of breath. Only Malfoy and his cronies seemed to have the energy still to talk.

"Guys!" The Egyptian whispered to them in a hushed voice, "I just had class with that Cooper guy, and you're never gonna guess-"

"Everyone here?" Professor Grubby-Plank asked, cutting him off before he could finish his sentence, "Good. Let's crack on then. Can anyone tell me what these are?"

Everyone looked down at the long table she stood behind at the pile of twigs. Hermione's hand immediately shot into the air, shortly followed by crude imitations coming from Malfoy's group. Malik, clearly at the end of his patience with the prefect, wheeled around and leveled a glare at him that would have stripped moss from stone. Malfoy paused for a moment, clearly shaken, but then realizing that Malik wouldn't dare touch him in front of a teacher, continued on.

"I'm gonna kill him…." Malik muttered under his breath, slowly reaching for the Rod.

"How 'bout when no one's watching?" Ryou suggested, as Hermione answered the question.

"Why? A little mind control and no one'll even remember-"

"Guys!" Yugi called, now holding one of the sticks in his up turned palm, "Did you even hear what we're supposed to be doing?"

"Take the stick and beat the Slytherin Prefects right?"

"No," Yugi sighed setting the stick down, and sat cross legged next to it. When it didn't fall over, Malik took a closer look at it, only to find two beetle black eyes staring back up at him.

"What is that?!" Malik exclaimed.

"Bowtruckle, eats woodlice, lives in trees used for wands," Yugi said listing off the highlights, "We're drawing them."

"Great," Malik and Ryou shrugged, following Yugi's example while the living twig watched them curiously.

"So what were you going to tell us before," Ryou asked, "And why do you look like a bus hit you?"

"It's Professor Cooper!" Malik said looking around to make sure no one else was listening, "I've never seen a person move that fast in my entire life!"

"What are you talking about Malik?" Yugi asked raising an eybrow.

"See for yourself!"

Malik pointed somewhere out behind them, to where another group of students was standing. Well, most of them were, a good forth of them were on the ground, laid out like the sod had been tugged out from under their feet. Amidst the group, they managed to catch a glimpse of a blue jean jacket as its owner whirled around in time to catch a charging student, and catapult him over his shoulder.

"Is that-?"

"Exactly what happened to us!" Malik shook his head, "The guy wanted to see how well we could defend ourselves! Magic or otherwise."

"So he attacked you?"

"More like we attacked him," Malik said, "He told us to so he could see how we would react. Not one of us managed to even touch him! Malfoy looked like he was going to kill him, but I'm not sure what was worse for him: getting beat, or getting beat by a muggle."

"Uh, guys?" Ryou said squinting, "Is that Kaiba?"

Sure enough, the last two standing out on the field looking like some kind of Texas shoot-out, was Kaiba and Professor Cooper. Kaiba looked as if he were trying to stare him down, but the suddenly launched himself at the professor, one fist aimed squarely at his head. They never even saw him move, as Professor Cooper twisted the arm meant to go through his skull around Kaiba's back and dropped him to his knees. Yugi was about to say something, when Ryou cried out after receiving a swift bite from the bowtruckle. It had polished off the rest of the woodlice and had sought the attention of the one closest to it, which unfortunately had been Ryou.

"Come here," Yugi said pulling some more food out of his pocket, tossing it on to the ground before looking up at where the Ravenclaws had been moments before only to find them gone.

"Where-?"

"Off on a jaunt around the school now," Malik said rubbing his arm in memory, "I'm telling you guys, he's not normal. I think after last night he knows about us."

"What makes you say that?!" Yugi asked, shock seeping into his voice.

"Because," Malik said looking off at where the Professor had disappeared, "during his start of the term speech, he mentioned the Shadow Realm."

Gotc: Buahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha!!!!!! I am evil!!! But to be entirely honest, I am sooooo looking forward to when our Gryfindors meet our mysterious new professor themselves!

Ace: I'm not. I didn't know I was going to be babysitting.

Gotc: Do you ever stop complaining? Geez…anyhoo, do remember that little button there at the bottom of your screen, yeah that one, the one that you use to review. More reviews=faster updates. Of course being out of school helps plenty too, but that's besides the point so I'll leave you all to it. Until next chappie!


	20. Do Not Cross Seto Kaiba

Gotc: Alright, so there are several of you who are not so happy that our friend Kaiba hasn't really had much purpose in this story. Which means you have all fallen into my trap: BUAHAHAHAHAHAHA! And as some added clearance (mainly due to one of the reviews I received from last chappie) Ace is in fact a rather integral part of this whole story. I'm rather irritated with some of the holes in the YGO series that I felt were never truly explained, so he's going to fill them in…mostly. But back to the whole Kaiba thing. This whole chapter is dedicated to all of you who have waited so patiently for Kaiba to have an impact on this story. Enjoy!

Squeaky: Squeak….(And because she forgot, go sue for ownership elsewhere.)

_--------------------_

_Harry Potter and the Order of the Rising Dragon_

CHAPTER 19: Do not cross Seto Kaiba

Two days. It really was a record. Normally, it was at least a week before Seto was ready to kill someone while he was on vacation. Then again, his vacations didn't include him being stuck in the middle of nowhere, in a medieval castle complete with ghosts and floating candles on the ceiling, with three unstable mental ward patients. It was bad enough that for the past few years those same people had been forcing the same "magic and destiny" routine down his throat until he thought he'd be physically ill if he ever heard the words again. There was no such thing as magic, only performers who used a bunch of smoke and mirrors to dazzle people with nothing better to do out of their hard-earned money. But now, here he was, miles away from any sane individual, surrounded by the very thing Yugi and his friends had said existed for so long. Magic. And he was good at it.

He'd done his best to distance himself from everything he had been forced to accumulate to prepare for the upcoming year. As soon as something magical came into his possession, into his trunk it went, without a second glance. That was especially true for his wand.

He knew from the moment his skin touched the smooth, polished wood that there was something more to the embellished twig. Sparks seemed to shoot up his arm, even as they spouted from its tip. He blatantly ignored the old wandmaker's comment about the heartstring that made up the core coming from that of a white dragon, and turned a blind eye to the winged creature carved so delicately into the handle. He refused to acknowledge that anything Yugi had been saying all those years had any truth to them, and so, into the trunk the wand went.

But now that he was trapped in this school for the next few months, he was faced with the reality that he would eventually have to use the thing at some point. That first night, Kaiba had waited until his new housemates had all gone to bed before he'd pulled one of his books and wand from the confines of his trunk. Settling down into one of the big easy chairs, he opened the book and began reading, even if most of it sounded like something straight from a child's fairytale book.

At last he settled on one of the spells to try; the book called it a levitation charm. He grabbed a hold of the wand and pointed it at one of the logs smoldering in the fireplace. He muttered the words for the charm, and gave his wand a dismissive flick. He expected nothing to happen, but almost as soon as the notion crossed his mind, the same log he'd been pointing at shifted ever so slightly in the dying embers.

"_This is ridiculous,"_ Kaiba thought to himself shaking his head, _"Just because I point a stick at something and say some made up words, doesn't make things fly through the air!"_

As if on cue he could hear that Hat's voice run through his mind, chiding him almost for his disbelief.

"_A brilliant mind it is, but it's your heart that's been split…One clinging to cold logic, the other towards the human emotion your mind refuses to acknowledge. You could learn from that…"_

"Fine!" Kaiba growled to no one in particular, raising his wand again at the log, "_Wingardium Leviosa!"_

Now the CEO wasn't one to get frazzled about much of anything. He was a duelist and head of Kaiba Corp. He'd assumed control of his adoptive father's company in a ruthless takeover in his early teens, faced homicidal maniacs out to kill him and his brother, and been sucked into a virtual world where his own advisors had tried to steal his body. Seto Kaiba did _not_ get frazzled.

What he did do, was drop his wand as if it had just burned him and climbed over the back of the chair, as the log suddenly went soaring to the top of the fireplace and burst into a shower of embers that rained back down into the ashes.

It took a moment for him to calm down and steady himself, as he watched the embers from the log slowly die away one by one. Only once the last of them had winked out, did he slowly reach out to gather up his things. He looked at the wand once again, turning it over slowly in his hand.

"_No." _He told himself firmly, shoving the lot under his arm, _"The psychiatrist was right. I've finally reached a breaking point and have started to see things. I'll get some sleep and none of this will have ever happened."_

With an air of superiority, Kaiba started back up the steps and back to bed, but not before stopping once to glance back at the black scorch mark left against the red brick of the fireplace.

-----

Kaiba shook his head in utter frustration, as he sat through his lessons. Muggle Studies? What a joke. They were staring out with muggle technology, and the first item on the list had been a cell phone. At least that's what Kaiba thought it was. The thing was almost as big as his forearm, and must have run on a nuclear battery. The teacher seemed to have no idea about what the thing was either, and still managed to have the class hanging off of his every word.

"_You have got to be kidding me…."_ He groaned to himself, rubbing his temples to keep his forming headache at bay. It had started just after he discovered he'd need to get almost a mile off of the school grounds to make some kind of contact with his company and Mokuba who had safely made it back to Japan under the watchful eye of one of the Order members. Not that he trusted them, but they did manage to pull him and Yugi's entourage out of the frying pan when those 'Death Eaters' came after them.

He suppressed a shudder at the memory. Kaiba was a good master over his emotions. They only got in the way, clouded judgment, and led to mistakes. Only when it came to Mokuba did he lower his guard a little, but after holding it rigidly in place almost 24-7, even that was difficult. But when those….things had come after them, it was like every bad memory and experience had thrown themselves against that wall, threatening to break him. Maybe that was the reason he gave such an angry glare to the curious third-year who asked him about their escape. It was something he did not want to relive.

A cup of coffee had helped placate the throbbing at his temples, but what he wanted was a couple of aspirin. However, since the whole class was practically goggling over a phone older than they were, he figured that it was pretty much out of the question. Besides, he really didn't want to know what passed for a wizarding headache cure. Even so, he was used to working with a headache, and managed to make the most of his day without it being too eventful.

And it might have been, but in trying to ignore his headache, he'd forgotten all about the other three he was here with. Something he was forcibly reminded of when he managed to catch a piece of a conversation going on out in the halls as he was making his way to dinner.

"What do you mean 'they got detention'?" Kaiba growled, forcing his way into the conversation.

"W..ell," The kid stammered, "the Potter kid and those new exchange students got into some sort of fight with Professor Umbridge. Someone said the white haired one threatened to stab her-Hey! Where you goin'?"

As if it wasn't obvious. The second he stepped into the Great Hall, Kaiba had no trouble spotting the three from their seats at the far end of the Gryffindor table. For as many looks as their unusual hair got them, it did make them extremely easy to track down in a large crowd. Malik seemed to be giving them a razing of his own, but despite their surprisingly thick skulls, he wanted to get a message through.

Both hands slammed down onto the table next to them, making a few nearby dishes rock with the force. Several of the students that had been sitting closer to them quickly scurried away, sensing the impending fight. They didn't know Kaiba, but judging by the murderous look in his eyes, whatever was about to happen wasn't going to be pretty.

"What happened to _'laying low'?!"_

"Look Kaiba," Yugi started, obviously ready to feed him some excuse, "It wasn't-"

"I don't want to hear to hear your excuse!" The livid CEO growled through clenched teeth, trying to keep from yelling as he would if they were back in his office, "On top of having to run my company long-distance and this school work, I do not want to add babysitting you three to my list of things to do! You do realize that woman will be out for all of us now, right?"

From the moment he'd opened his mouth, Kaiba knew he wasn't going to make any progress. Yugi looked like he'd been hit by a truck, and Ryou didn't look any better. And Malik? As much as he lumped all three of them together as psychotic, he was probably the one that could be certifiably insane.

"Oh get over it," Malik turned on Kaiba, "Now Marik and I are gonna have to work twice as hard to make her life miserable now that she's gonna be doing the same to me!"

Great. It was like telling a dog not to chase parked cars.

"Do you just plan on being hated by everyone you encounter Malik?" Yugi asked wearily, propping up his head with one hand, "Or is it just a gift?"

"You mental ward rejects are missing the point!" Kaiba hissed, shooting a glare at a group of second years, sending them scurrying for safer ground, "People are suspicious about us! I had someone ask me today about how we managed to get out of Domino with Death Eaters on our tails! And you drawing attention to us isn't helping!"

"Kaiba, _we _don't even know how we managed to do it."

Ryou's comment left him at the point of shaking. These three, as unstable as they may be, had always seemed so sure of themselves when it came to dealing with the crazy things that seemed to happen to them on a regular basis. Hearing that _they_ had been floundering…It made Kaiba rethink just how close they might have all been…

"Besides, Bakura isn't exactly the easiest person to reason with when he gets an idea in his head," Ryou pointed out, "When he has an opinion, he's going to let you know about it."

"I don't care! If you don't get your psychotic episodes under control," Kaiba warned, reaffixing his CEO personality back in place, "We're all going to be in trouble!"

He didn't give them a chance to respond. They were starting to draw more and more attention to their conversation, and it wasn't like it was going anywhere fast. He didn't feel like eating anymore, and despite his best efforts, his stomach was rolling with unease. He started to head back to the common room, but instead found his feet carrying him through the castle of their own accord.

Simply talking about their last experience in Domino had dredged up the memories from that night. He remembered the way it felt to crack the heads of those two hooded men. And though it would have been easier to draw blood from a stone, he had been relieved to see Yugi, Ryou, and Malik in the midst of the chaos. But now that he thought back on it, Yugi had been on the brink of unconsciousness, and both Ryou and Malik looked panicked as they barricaded his office. He'd seen them have a wide range of emotion, but fear was not one of them.

Feeling unsteady, Kaiba stopped in the hall and leaned against a wall for support, letting the darkness comfort him from the outside world. Why was this such a big deal? They were fine, Mokuba was fine, damages were being repaired and life was moving on. There wasn't any reason to worry about it anymore. A sound from down the hall, jerked him back to his senses as he peered out of the shadows to see who it was. He needed some time to regain his composure and didn't want to be stumbled upon by anyone.

As he looked around, his eyes rested on Professor Cooper looking out an open window. He looked different than the few times he'd caught a glimpse of him in the Great Hall, almost tired instead of the proud and confident man he took him to be. But Kaiba didn't have any time to think on it, when he heard a deep voice rumble from outside the window. From his hiding place, his view outside was completely skewed by a pillar that stood next to the professor. Moving to get a better view would certainly give away his hiding place, and seeing as it looked like the man had yet to notice him, Kaiba was in no hurry to give him the opportunity.

What frustrated him the most was while he couldn't see, he could hear the two clearly, but for the life of him couldn't understand a word they said. The language was something far different than anything he'd heard before. The words seemed to flow from Cooper's tongue like water, filling the air with what felt like an electric current. Even the deeper voice from beyond the window, while not as powerful as Cooper, still managed to add to the strange feeling. But it wasn't at all unfamiliar either. Kaiba remembered feeling the same way the first time he'd heard Ancient Egyptian. How the words themselves seemed to carry power they'd accumulated from years of existence. This, however, was far more potent. It felt older.

Suddenly, there was the sound of more voices coming from the adjacent corridor. Professor Cooper quickly barked something at the window, and hurried to close it, before melting into the shadows himself. For a moment, Kaiba was worried he would accidentally bump into him, until he could see the professor's head peek out and down the next corridor. Kaiba's eyes widened with horror as he saw Yugi, Ryou and Malik disappear under some kind of veil, and summon a monster to torment one of the castle's ghosts. And Professor Cooper had seen the whole thing. The three came back into view as soon as the cost was clear, Ryou and Malik laughing their heads off while Yugi at least had the sense to see that what they were doing could get them in trouble.

Kaiba felt his headache come back with full-force. First the Umbridge woman, now this? They didn't even know who this man was and now those three idiots had just given themselves away! He clenched his fists tightly, as he pressed himself further into the shadows. A new set of voices now were coming from down the hall. Harry, Ron and Hermione. Perfect. They'd already shown a teacher what kind of freaks they were, why not reveal it to the rest of the school while they were at it? Speaking of, where had the professor vanished to?

The three had now heard Yugi and the other's voices, and were slowly creeping along the wall to catch a glimpse of them. Kaiba was thankful that the three at least had enough common sense to refrain from using English, but it certainly made it more suspicious. With an inward groan, he made up his mind to interrupt their snooping, but before he could take one step, Professor Cooper beat him to it.

It was an odd mix of relief and suspicion, as Yugi and the other seized the opportunity to make themselves scarce, while Cooper provided the distraction. But Kaiba couldn't help but notice how well the man played the part of a casual passer-by, rather than be spooked by the events he had just witnessed. He certainly didn't seem the type to get rattled easily, but seeing a monster appear out of nowhere wasn't something someone just got used to seeing.

As Kaiba watched the Professor send the Gryffindors off, a new question tugged at his mind. Who was this man? What had he been talking to, and why would he have helped to conceal such a foreign magic from prying eyes? Sure he was a muggle, but he must be able to tell that display was hardly something common to the curriculum? He waited until Professor Cooper was long gone before moving from his hiding spot. It looked like the other three had realized that perhaps patrolling the halls and pranking ghosts wasn't the best idea either, and had left as well.

A part of him wanted to go after them, but the logical part told him to simply go back to his house and wait for a better time. He had no idea if the area was still being watched, and he didn't want the professor to know he'd been spied on. So, watching over his shoulder every step of the way, Kaiba slowly made his way back to the Ravenclaw commons, a million questions weighing heavy on his mind.

----

Kaiba had hoped for a chance to talk to Yugi and the rest the next morning before classes, but by the time Yugi and Ryou made it down to breakfast, Professor Cooper had also found his way into the Great Hall. So rather than risk the conversation being overheard, Kaiba bit his tongue in frustration, until one of his fellow first years took a seat next to him.

"Nasty out," The boy said, looking up at the ceiling, "But the day should be interesting enough."

"What?" Kaiba asked, having not really paid attention.

"The muggle," The boy said, "We'll have him today. Double class period too."

Kaiba let out a sigh; he'd forgotten all about his class schedule. Now that he thought about it, he did remember seeing Cooper's class listed for today.

"It'll be interesting to say the least," The boy continued on, "Not sure what a muggle'll be able to teach us about defense against the dark arts though. Anyway, name's Cody Rayner, you?"

"Seto Kaiba," He said shaking Cody's outstretched hand.

"You're the Kaiba Corp guy!" Cody remarked, slightly awestruck, "Wow, big jump from tech to magic, eh? So you and the rest of the new kids, you're duelists right?"

"Yeah," Kaiba said rolling his eyes. This was almost as bad as being hounded by reporters.

"Way cool, my little brother'll flip when I tell him who's in my house," Cody said, not noticing his growing irritation, "He's a big fan of yours. Followed you all the way through Battle City. Too bad ya' lost to that Yugi kid huh?"

Kaiba turned a glare on Cody that would have melted steel, but the teen seemed to busy with his breakfast to notice. Before he could say anything more, people started getting up from their tables and shuffling off to class. Kaiba downed the last of his cup of coffee, and scanned the crowd again. Yugi and Ryou had already gone, and while Malik was still in the room, there was no way he'd be able to get close enough to him without being obvious about it.

Class went by in a haze, too many other pressing matters vying for his attention than whatever their ghostly professor was droning on about. He could feel a wary uneasy starting to build every second the clock ticked off until their next class with Professor Cooper. At this point, he was fairly certain he'd gone unnoticed, but that confidence wavered considerably as the Ravenclaws trudged across the sodden field to meet their new professor.

Cooper certainly looked professional enough, closer to a drill sergeant than a professor as he stood waiting for them with his hands clasped behind his back. Kaiba deliberately stood towards the back of the group, as far away from the man as he could get. He could hear him giving a start of term speech, but didn't pay much attention to what was being said, instead focusing more on his demeanor as he paced in front of the class.

There was confidence in his stride, and air of power that Kaiba hadn't noticed in the other fighters he'd seen on TV. Of course, he knew those were staged fights, a winner already determined before the fight ever began and every one of them had a self-superior act put on for the camera. Cooper didn't. Even from a distance, he could tell the man knew how to fight and do it well until it had become a part of who he was.

"…Which is why I'm going to give you all a chance to see what you are capable of," The professor's voice finally registering, "You can use magic if you'd like, but seeing as this will be the only time you will be using your wands in this class, it might be better to get used to defending yourselves without them. So whoever would like to try first…"

Now Kaiba got it. He was testing them. He wanted to see what everyone was capable of, or perhaps wanted to engrain it into everyone's minds that he was not one to be disrespected, simply because he did not carry a wand in his back pocket.

And it was a point he made painfully clear, as both spell and fist were thrown at the professor, each one dodged as gracefully as that odd language had rolled off of his tongue the night before. It was a moment before Kaiba noticed that he and Cooper were the only two now left standing.

"Well?" The professor asked, a smirk on his face.

"I don't charge into something without knowing my opponent." Kaiba glared back.

"No Mr. Kaiba," Cooper nodded, "I suppose you don't. I've seen some of your duels, saw how you set up your little tournament there for Battle City. You had every deck of every duelist there already figured out before the game even started. It's smart."

Cooper was now almost staring him down, while Kaiba maintained his own glare at the professor, unwilling to be goaded into anything.

"But hardly practical," Cooper smirked.

"And thinking you can win your student's respect by a show of force is?" He shot back.

"No Mr. Kaiba, because that is the very definition of Power." The professor said, his face falling into a more serious look than he'd had yet to see, "And let me assure you, that kind of respect is one I hope never to have."

"Then what is this all about?" Kaiba frowned, "If you're not trying to get our respect, then why go through this?"

"Because it's your first lesson," The response came with a grin, "I want to see how you adapt. So far, these students have been taught to use nothing but magic to defend themselves, which doesn't do a damn lot of good outside this castle. The world's not going to have teachers observing every skirmish and directing what words you use for a spell and if you're pronouncing them wrong. You haven't been tested outside of your comfort zones yet, and that's what I plan on doing."

A scoff of mild acknowledgement found its way from Kaiba. Strange as this man was, he wasn't an idiot.

"And you are very much out of your comfort zone aren't you Mr. Kaiba?" Cooper continued.

"What makes you say that?" Kaiba bristled.

"Your wand. The rest of your classmates had them out and to the ready at the beginning of class. I've yet to see you touch yours," He clarified, "Which means, you aren't comfortable with magic, or don't trust it. Either way, just being in this school would have to be going against everything you believe about the way the world should work."

"What about you?" The CEO growled back, mostly with irritation that he'd been read so easily, "You don't use magic, and didn't even know it existed before you came here."

"Like I said before, it's all about adapting to your surroundings," Cooper grinned, "If you need some help with it, I'd talk to your friend Yugi. Seems to me by the way he duels, he's got the idea down already. Maybe that's why he keeps beating you-"

That was it. He knew Professor Cooper had been prodding for a sore spot to provoke him, and he'd found it at last. The frustration from the last few weeks finally compounded against him and burst through in a single wave. Kaiba rushed Cooper, planning on pushing his fist through the man's smug grin. But just as his fist should have made contact, it only flew through air until his forearm was caught in a vice-like grip and twisted around his back. Cooper only had to use a little pressure to force Kaiba down to his knees, before he released him and started to walk over to where the rest of the class had gathered to watch.

"By the way Mr. Kaiba," Cooper called back to him, "Just because I was saying those things to you to provoke you, doesn't make them any less true."

Kaiba watched him walk off to the rest of the class and begin to explain the next part of their activities. His head was still buzzing with the professor's words, which only served to fuel his wounded pride. Ace Cooper was no common brawler, and whether the professor thought it was prudent or not, he planned on finding out exactly who this man was.

------------------------------------------------------------------------

Gotc: BUAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!

Ace: How come everyone's suspicious of me? Why can't I be the good guy for once?

Gotc: Cause that's not how I roll. Anyway, I hope this helped satiate some of you who wanted Seto there to have a bigger part. He'll be more prominent from here on out….well, maybe not so much in the next chapter, but more after that. But it does beg the question…What will he discover? Hmmmmm? Well I'm not telling unless I get reviews. They make me happy. So go on, click the button, and let me know what you thought. See you all next chappie!


	21. House of Mirrors or Plates?

Gotc: Alrighty. I have good news and bad news. Which do you want first?

Ace: The good news.

Gotc: Really? You don't want the bad news out of the way?

Ace: Nuh-uh. I want something happy to cling to when you open that seventh ring of-

Gotc: Yeah, ok I get it. So the good news is I've decided to kinda come up with a soundtrack for the fic. Not turn it into a song fic or anything, but since I listen to a couple of songs over and over while I write certain chapters, I thought it might add a little something to the whole experience. It's not gonna be every chapter, but every now and again.

Ace: That was it? Sheesh. So what's the bad news?

Gotc: Lara Chubb found us.

Ace: 0.o……….(Takes off running)

Gotc: Ace and good ol' Lara have a history. She's quite possibly his oldest fan, and stole him from my attic where I store him when I'm not using him and locked him up in her basement for a couple weeks while her cat guarded him. I don't think he had fun, since he actually came running back to the attic….

Ace: (In distance) AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Gotc: But that's hardly relevant to the fic. And so without further ado….SQUEAKY!

Squeaky: Squeak! (Keep running Ace! Oh and it may even be possible that Lara's got a partial claim on Ace too so, go look for better things to take elsewhere.)

Gotc: So true. Enjoy the fic!

_Harry Potter and the Order of the Rising Dragon_

CHAPTER 20: House of Mirrors..or Plates…

Yugi didn't think it would ever be possible to get the smell of fertilizer out of his nose, much less the rest of him. At least he didn't have to worry about getting some privacy from prying eyes tonight, since everyone at the Gryffindor table was making it a point to sit as far away from the fifth years as humanly possible.

"I will never have a garden for as long as I live," Ryou muttered taking his seat next to Yugi. The Great Hall wasn't quite full just yet, most of the classes now starting to pour in for dinner, so Malik and Kaiba were nowhere to be seen.

"Ditto," Yugi groaned, digging into his food. After two days of hardly any appetite, he suddenly found himself ravenous. But he seemed to be the only one focused on getting a bite to eat. The doors swung open with a thunderous crash, and a tall dark skinned girl came striding up to a weary Harry, looking absolutely livid.

, "Oy, Potter!"

"What now?" Harry muttered tuning his head only enough to see who it was coming towards him now, turning to face Angelina Johnson.

"I'll tell you what now," she said, poking him hard in the chest with her finger. "How come you've landed yourself in detention for five o'clock on Friday?"

"What?" said Harry. "Why… oh yeah, Keeper tryouts!"

"Now he remembers!" snarled Angelina. "Didn't I tell you I wanted to do a tryout with the whole team, and find someone who fitted in with everyone! Didn't I tell you I'd booked the Quidditch pitch specially? And now you've decided you're not going to be there!"

Yugi and Ryou both looked at each other, simultaneously deciding there was something about this conversation worth listening to. They'd seen a couple of students playing a few little games here and there, but nothing that looked like a promising new frontier until Kaiba managed to get working duel disks into the castle.

"I didn't decide not to be there!" said Harry, as Yugi and Ryou scooted as close as they dared, not really wanting to get in between the two. "I got detention from that Umbridge woman, just because I told her the truth about You-Know-Who."

"Well, you can just go straight to her and ask her to let you off on Friday," said Angelina fiercely, "and I don't care how you do it. Tell her You-Know-Who's a figment of your imagination if you like, just make sure you're there!"

"You know what?" Harry said to Ron and Hermione as she stalked furiously out of the Hall, "I think we'd better check with Puddlemere United whether Oliver Wood's been killed during a training session, because Angelina seems to be channeling his spirit."

"Hey Harry," Yugi asked tentatively, once he was sure Angelina was well out of range, "What's Quidditch?"

Ron gave Yugi an incredulous look at his question, not quite sure if he'd heard him right.

"You're serious?" Ron gaped, "Aren't you some great game master?"

"King of Games," Ryou corrected him, "And isn't kind of hard to play a game you've never heard of?"

_((It's not like his highness hasn't done it before.))_ Bakura pointed out, but Ryou only rolled his eyes and ignored him. It was hard enough trying to keep all outward appearances normal enough until they figured out exactly what the other three had seen of them the night before, without having another conversation going on in his head.

A part of Harry was wary of saying too much to Yugi and Ryou. They could be fishing for information, maybe trying to cover up what had happened the night before, or just genuinely curious. The two didn't look like they were even capable of a malicious thought, much less some evil plot to turn Hogwarts over to Dumbledore or whatever, and before the logical side of him could even argue, he found himself rattling off everything he'd learned about his favorite sport.

"It's a game played on broomsticks," Harry started, before he even realized what he was saying, "There are two teams of seven, three chasers, two beaters, one keeper, and one seeker, and three different types of balls, the Quaffle, Bludgers, and the Snitch."

Harry felt like he was having an out of body experience, screaming at himself and reciting back everything that they'd overheard the very same people talking about last night in that dark corridor, but he only continued on.

"It's the job of the Chasers to take the Quaffle down to the other end of the pitch and throw it past the other team's Keeper and through one of three hoops," He said, ticking off the positions with his fingers, "The Bludgers are like flying bowling balls, trying to knock you off of your broom, and it's the Beater's job to make sure they're aimed at the other team instead of you. And then the Seekers are searching the entire field for one tiny golden ball that size of a big walnut. It's worth a hundred and fifty points to catch it, and it ends the game, so it's a pretty important job."

Harry shook his head, as he realized just how fast he was talking, the tiny voice telling him to stop now virtually nonexistent.

"I'm sorry," He apologized for his hurried explanation, "That must not have made a whole lot of sense-"

"No, you explained it," Yugi said, "Chasers score with the Quaffle, Keepers block the hoops, Beaters use Bludgers to knock other player's off of their brooms and the Seeker tries to find and catch the Snitch to end the game."

"Uhh…Yeah," Harry blinked, surprised at how easily Yugi had grasped even the basic concept of a game it had taken him days to figure out, "I mean there's a little more to it than that, but I wasn't super thorough in explaining it."

"I'm a pretty quick study," Yugi said bashfully, "But I'm better with practice."

"Well, I'm not so sure how well that'll work out with you three in detention during Keeper tryouts," Ron pointed out, not trying very hard to hide his distaste with Yugi and Ryou.

"Yeah," Harry sighed, the unpleasant thought of spending the evening with Professor Umbridge was not one he was looking forward to, "Well I guess I'd better figure out some way to convince her to let me off on Friday…"

"And just what do you think the chances of that are?" Ron asked.

"Is there something less than zero?"

Harry took a large swig of his pumpkin juice and looked up at the clock before gathering up his belongings.

"Speaking of, we should probably get going," He said gesturing to the clock ticking ever closer to their date with the frilly professor, "No reason to give Umbridge any more reason to slam us with more homework…"

Yugi and Ryou nodded, just as depressed about their destination as anyone as they followed Harry out of the Hall and in the direction of Delores Umbridge's room. Ron and Hermione watched them carefully, waiting until they were well out of earshot to say just what was running through their minds.

"This is too weird." Hermione said taking a sip of her drink, "One minute, it's like those two are in their own world, the next, they're the world's nicest people."

"I overheard something that the Kaiba guy was saying about them being bipolar or something," Ron suggested hopefully, "I mean, they all knew each other before they came here, and that Kaiba guy's the only one who acts like he wants nothing to do with the rest of them."

As if on queue, the sandy-haired CEO materialized out of thin air, looking slightly harried.

"Have you two seen Yugi or Ryou?" He said, more or less demanding the information rather than asking for it, "I need to talk to them. Now."

"They just headed off to detention with Umbridge-" Hermione started, more than a little put off by Kaiba's tone, but was cut off by a frustrated growl from him.

He started to walk away, but Hermione's hand shot out and grabbed him by the shoulder, spinning him around to face her. There was a split second where she regretted her actions, as she found herself on the receiving end of furious icy glare. Even Ron discovered he wanted to put as much space between himself and that look as humanly possible. But Hermione wanted answers, and at this point didn't care who she got them from.

"Why do you need to talk to them so bad?" She asked scrutinizing his every expression.

"If it were any of your business, I'd tell you," Kaiba snapped, turning to leave again, "But since it's not, back off."

"No," Hermione said defiantly, cutting him off, "Not until you tell me why you and the others have been acting so strange since you've got here."

"Don't lump me in with them," Kaiba growled dangerously.

"Then why are you running around acting like you're their nursemaid?"

"Because, I may have been dragged into this mess with them, but I'm not going to be held responsible because they can't follow the rules!"

Kaiba realized his mistake even as the words were coming out of his mouth. He saw Hermione's eyes widen slightly from her scrutinizing gaze. Swearing silently to himself, he made a hasty exit, all the while looking for Malik to warn him before anything more leaked out.

---------

"So what do you think she'll make us do?" Ryou asked, trying to fill the silence as they drew nearer and nearer to their destination.

"Dunno," Harry muttered dimly, knocking on the oaken door. "Something boring I'll bet, she looks to be the type in favor of a good old fashioned 'traditional punishment'."

They waited for a moment for the echoing knock to subside, before they heard Umbridge's sickly sweet voice beckon them inside. For a Defense Against the Dark Arts Teacher's office, it certainly didn't seem to fit the criteria. The whole room seemed to be lined with lacy doilies while countless vases occupied every other available surface. Even the walls were not spared, having been decorated with ornamental plates, each sporting a fluffy little kitten, every one with a different bow. Ryou was certain if his yami had a body of his own, he would have been physically ill, instead of gagging in the back of his mind like he was doing now.

"Good evening you three."

Like some kind of demented chameleon, Yugi, Harry and Ryou hadn't noticed Professor Umbridge sitting behind her desk until she spoke. All three were now wishing she hadn't, since now that they had seen her, she was almost impossible to ignore. The garish set of flowery robes that had blended in with the rest of her room so well moments before, now made her stand out like a failed window display.

"Good evening Professor," They said in a droning unison, trying not to stare.

"Well you may take a seat," She said waving her hand towards a table, draped in more lace, with three chairs and just as many blank parchments laid out.

Ryou and Yugi both started towards the tables, but Harry had yet to move from the spot.

"Er," said Harry, "Professor Umbridge. Er - before we start, I - I wanted to ask you a… a favor."

Yugi and Ryou exchanged looks already knowing what the outcome of this would be, as Professor Umbridge leaned forward a but in her chair, relishing in the power she held over them.

"And what might that be?"

"Well, I'm… I'm in the Gryffindor Quidditch team," Harry started, " And I was supposed to be at the tryouts for the new Keeper at five o'clock on Friday and I was - was wondering whether I could skip detention that night and do it - do it another night… instead…"

All three of them could tell that it wasn't going to happen even as Harry had uttered those first words.

"Oh, no," Umbridge said, her wicked grin spreading from ear to ear "Oh, no, no, no. This is your punishment for spreading evil, nasty, attention-seeking stories, Mr. Potter, and punishments certainly cannot be adjusted to suit the guilty one's convenience. No, you will come here at five o'clock every night, and you will do your detentions as planned. I think it rather a good thing that you are missing something you really want to do. It ought to reinforce the lesson I am trying to teach all of you."

Yugi watched Harry's fists ball up beneath his robes, feeling a pang of guilt for their situation. True, Harry had been the one to start it, but maybe he wouldn't have let it go so far if they hadn't been there to encourage him with their own comments. And Umbridge only looked like she was trying to provoke him further.

"I could do Harry's detention," Yugi piped up, trying to diffuse the situation, "I'd come back next week too-"

"If you don't learn to control yourself in my class Mr. Muto, you will be," Umbridge warned as she walked over to where they had all taken a seat, "Now, you all will be doing some lines for me, and here's the quills I would like you to do them with."

She strode by their table, handing them each their own thin, black quill. They took them without complaint, but was the ebony feather brushed against skin, Yugi felt a strange tingle run up his arm, and judging by the way Ryou was turning his over in his hand, he'd felt it too.

"Mr. Potter, you shall write: _I must not tell lies,_ Mr. Motou and Bakura, you will write: _I shall respect my elders." _She said, not even so much as looking back to make sure they'd heard her.

"How many times?" Harry asked, straining to keep the feigned politeness in his voice.

"Oh, I think as long as it takes for the message to sink in." Umbridge said sweetly, "Off you go."

"But you haven't given us any ink," Harry pointed out.

"I think you'll find you won't be needing any," She said, sending a menacing grin their way.

The three shrugged and began scribbling their lines on the blank parchment. Or started to. The instant pen touched paper, Yugi and Ryou felt the Millennium Items suddenly grow white-hot, as well as the pens in their hand. Not wanting to draw anymore attention to themselves, they tried it again, once more feeling the familiar Shadow Magic clash with whatever spell had been placed on the pens.

"Is there something wrong?" Umbridge's voice interrupted.

"Um..the pens you gave us aren't working," Yugi said nervously.

Umbridge stood up from behind her desk, her bulgy eyes narrowing dangerously, as if Yugi had just swore in her face.

"What do you mean 'they aren't working'?" She snapped, stalking back over to the table.

"Th..they're not writing anything," Ryou said, scribbling with his own pen as if to illustrate the point.

Ryou jerked his hand back, as Umbridge snatched the pen from him, looking it over again and again like they'd purposely broken them and getting more and more aggravated when nothing showed itself. With huff, she tossed the pens onto her desk and pulled out two lacy cloths and threw them to Yugi and Ryou.

"Since something seems to be wrong with my pens, you two will be dusting the room," She said gesturing to what seemed like the hundreds of decorative vases, knickknacks and plates, "And don't forget the ones up there on the wall; I'm afraid this castle is a bit dustier than their last home."

Ryou was alone most of the time, with his dad always gone, so cleaning was a part of his daily life. And Yugi was no stranger to tidying up the house and game shop, but even so the task that stood before them seemed daunting and borderline overwhelming.

It seemed like hours, cleaning to the faint sounds of pen against parchment as Harry continued with his lines, and Yugi and Ryou went from table to table, carefully dusting its contents before moving on. The worst was the plates. Yugi could hardly be considered the tallest person alive, and Ryou wasn't terribly gifted with height either. It took a call to the gnarled old caretaker to send for a couple of ladders to even reach the things. And once they did manage to get up high enough to clean them, it wasn't exactly a walk through the park. Every time they tried to get close with the rag, the dainty kitten would suddenly growl and hiss viciously, trying desperately to scratch and bite, despite the fact it was little more than an animated painting.

It was the last plate in the row, when one gave such a resounding hiss that Yugi had nearly fell off of the ladder provided for the menial job, and was only spared the fall because the Puzzle's chain had somehow managed to get caught around one of the shelves. Still, his surprised yelp caught everyone's attention, the Puzzle pulling out from under his robes as it halted his fall. He flailed his arms about to catch a hold of something else and pull himself back up, all the while trying to stuff the glinting gold back into his robes. The last thing he needed was more criticism for wearing "outlandish" jewelry.

"Mr. Motou!" Professor Umbridge barked, having seen his display, "I would greatly appreciate it if you would not make as big a distraction in this detention as you have done in my classroom."

"S-s-sorry, Professor!"Yugi panted, finally managing to grab onto the ledge and steady himself.

"Hmm, Mr. Potter, will you come here?" She said now turning her attention to Harry.

Slowly, Harry rose to his feet and trudged over to Umbridge's desk, where she held out her fat hand that looked more like a bunch of jewel encrusted sausages.

"Hand." She demanded, and Harry reluctantly obeyed, flinching at her touch.

"Tsk, tsk. Didn't seem to make much of an impression did we?" Umbridge said, almost with a hint of laughter in her voice, "We'll just have to try again tomorrow, you may go. Mr. Motou, Mr. Bakura, you may go as well once you return those ladders to Mr. Filch's office."

Ryou and Yugi gladly scrambled down the ladders, grabbing them and their things as fast as they could, wanting nothing more than to leave that horrible pink nightmare as far behind as possible. They looked around for Harry, but he seemed to have had the same idea, and was already long gone by the time they managed to get out through the door with the bulk ladders.

"You'da thought he could have waited," Ryou huffed, adjusting his grip on the ladder, as they walked through the darkened halls, "We were in there because we stuck up for him…"

"Our yami's did that," Yugi corrected him, his normally spiky hair starting to droop a little. He was tired enough by this point to catch a glimpse of the caretaker's office, despite the fact its owner may be lurking about.

"All the same, "Ryou grunted, setting his ladder against the wall next to the darkened door.

"He probably wanted to get out of there just as bad as we did," Yugi suggested, "I get the feeling Umbridge is going to look for any and every excuse to land us back in detention from here on out."

"Speaking of," Ryou jabbed Yugi with his elbow, "I thought for sure she was going to say something when the Puzzle got caught on that shelf."

"Same here," Yugi nodded, "I guess she must not have thought anything of it-"

Yugi's sentence suddenly cut off, as if he had just choked on what he was about to say. The abrupt stop didn't go unnoticed by Ryou who stopped to look at the expression of sheer horror plastered all over his face.

"Yugi? Yugi, what's the matter?" Ryou asked.

"Umbridge didn't see the Puzzle," Yugi managed in a horse whisper, "_Harry did_."

---------------------------------------------

Gotc: Phew. So a chapter a while in the making here folks, and to be entirely honest, I had planned to have the story a little further ahead than this by this point, but this just worked a little better. I mean, I had to write about Umbridge's detention! And the cat plates….

Ace: You only thought of that cause you got bit by a cat at work and had to go wait in urgent care for two hours.

Gotc: Animals get so much better healthcare than we do…But you take inspiration wherever you can get it. Anyway, I'm going to try to have the next chappie up quicker, but no promises cause it seems like whenever I make one, it ends up being a month later before I do post. Lots of reviews make it happen faster though! I write when I am happy and those reviews make me happy indeed! So click the button, tell me what you thought, and I'll se you all next chappie!


	22. Shifting Suspicion

Gotc: I'm never making promises again.

Ace: And two weeks later you finally rear your ugly head.

Gotc: I'm going to let that one slide, only because I know you're cranky from lack of exercise. I plan on fixing that.

Ace: Oh lucky me….

Gotc: Yep. Now I'm sure you all read in the last chappie how I'm gonna start adding in the songs that give me the kick in the pants needed to write some more. No they're not going in the fic. Yes they will be in the disclaimer for you to see if you agree with the appropriateness for the particular chapter. If you think of a better one, let me know and I may revise my song choices if I agree. This chapter's song: Real World by the All-American Rejects.

Ace: You need to work on your taste in music.

Gotc: Says the idiot who pretends to be on American Idol while taking a shower.

Ace: You're bluffing. You did not see or hear anything.

Gotc: Sure did. Squeaky has video evidence. Right Squeaks?

Squeaky: Squeak! (Yep. So while that particular tape is uploaded to the internet, please enjoy the fic while keeping in mind Gotc owns neither Harry Potter nor any music by the All-American Rejects.)

Gotc: Enjoy!

------------

_Harry Potter and the Order of the Rising Dragon_

CHAPTER 21: Shifting Suspicion 

Harry knew he should have waited for Yugi and Ryou, but his hand was burning terribly from Umbridge's awful quill, and he still couldn't seem to shake the chill that had seemed to settle around him from her touch. Right now, his only concern was to get as far away from that horrible woman as he possibly could, and the faster the better.

It was only when he was about halfway back to the Gryffindor Tower did he slow down. Harry stopped next to one of the torches that dotted the hall and gingerly looked his hand over. The skin was still red raw, and burned to the touch, but at least he couldn't make out the lines he'd been forced to write over and over. He suppressed a shudder at the thought of holding that quill again the following night, the back of his hand slicing open with every stroke...

"Isn't it a little late for you to be walking the castle Mr. Potter?"

Without any sound to alert him, the voice was enough to almost stop Harry's heart in his chest. Nearly jumping out of his skin, Harry spun around to come face to face with Professor Cooper. Like the night before, the muggle didn't look cross or upset for finding a roaming student like any of his other teachers would have. Instead, he wore the same mildly amused smirk that seemed to come more from Harry's reaction to his presence more than anything.

"I…I had detention Professor," Harry stammered, trying to rein in his pounding heart.

"Umbridge?" He asked quirking an eyebrow.

"Yeah," Harry sighed.

"Hmph," the Professor snorted, before glancing off in the distance and walking next to Harry, "I sense you and my colleague aren't exactly the types to co-exist, and I have the distinct feeling that this isn't the last time I'm going to see you taking a late night walk back from her office."

Now it was Harry's turn to look away. He wasn't ashamed for his actions that had landed him in detention in the first place. He wasn't about to just roll over and let that evil witch just tell him that the only reason he kept seeing Cedric Digory die at the hands of a madman was because he was delusional, or desperately needed attention from whoever would give it to him. But the thought of more long nights with her was almost an equally unbearable thought, and for someone so new to the castle to make that kind of observation about him so quickly, it made him feel more depressed than he'd already been.

"Don't look so down," Professor Cooper said, noting the fallen look on Harry's face, "I was only making an observation, not criticizing you. And if I could give you some friendly advice-"

"No offence Professor," Harry sighed, "But I've already gotten the 'Keep your head down' speech from Professor McGonagall."

"And it's a useful thing to remember," Cooper said, "But not quite what I had in mind."

Harry's brow furrowed in confusion, having fully expected to been read the Riot Act for the second time in two days.

"You pick up any history book, wizard or muggle, and every time you'll find it's not the people who kept their heads down who changed the world," Cooper said with a warm grin, "It's the ones who stuck to their guns, and fought for what they knew was right."

Definitely not the Riot Act. Harry was a little tongue tied at how to respond to that, since it was hardly the type of advice he'd been expecting to get from anyone, much less a professor. Maybe Dumbledore would have, but seeing as how he appeared to stay as far away from him as possible these days, it wasn't likely he would get it.

"That being said," Cooper cautioned him with a hard stare, "There's a right way and a wrong way to go about it. You've threatened her, and that means she'll be looking for any excuse to break you."

"Then what am I supposed to do?" Harry sighed, a little too tired to deal with cryptic advice.

The only answer he got, was a firm pat on the shoulder and a light chuckle.

"I've heard enough about you to know you've a bit of a knack for getting around the rules here Mr. Potter," Cooper said continuing on his rounds, "I'm sure you'll find a way to rally something."

"_Rally something?" _Harry thought as he watched the odd Professor disappear around the corner. Right now he didn't even feel like he'd even be able to rally himself for another evening with Umbridge. Still, maybe he'd be able to think clearer after a good night's sleep. Heaven knows he needed it…

----

Yugi almost wasn't even able to think straight. In the back of his mind he could vaguely hear Yami telling him to calm down, but that wasn't about to happen any time soon.

"Ok, so what if Harry saw the Puzzle?" Ryou tried to reason, "It's not like he _knew_ what he was looking at. I mean seriously, outside of someone who's actually had an Item, how many people do you think know anything about them. Or even what they are for that matter?"

"Ryou, we're currently living in a giant castle where young kids go to learn about magic," Yugi said, rubbing his temple, "We use and have been using some of the oldest magic on the face of the planet. How hard do you think it will be for them to find out?"

_((Very.)) _Bakura said calmly, his transparent form appearing next to Ryou, _((After the Pharaoh over there lost his memories, most of the information we know today about the_ _Millennium Items was either destroyed or lost.))_

_//By friends of yours, Thief?// _Yami asked appearing next to Yugi.

_((I wish, Pharaoh,)) _Bakura all but spat, ((_If they had been friends of mine, I would have already been king of this realm, with all seven Items in my possession. As it stands…))_

_//You do not. And will not, so long as I have a say in the matter.// _Yami said, leveling a glare at the Thief King, //_That being said, I think it's safe enough to assume that we're in no immediate danger of any of the wizards discovering the Items, or what they really are at the least.//_

"It might not be the wizards we need to be worried about." Malik's voice said from the adjoining corridor, Kaiba in tow, "We would have found you guys sooner, but you had already left detention by the time we got there."

Neither Yugi, Ryou nor their respective spirits particularly liked the tone of worry they detected in Malik's voice, or the wary stride both he and the CEO seemed to have adopted in the last few hours. Kaiba kept stealing quick glances over his shoulder, while Malik joined the conversation.

_((What exactly are you talking about, Keeper?)) _Bakura demanded.

"Your housemates weren't the only ones to witness our little excursion last night," Malik said, "Professor Cooper saw the whole thing. Magic, monsters and all."

"How do you know?" Ryou asked, feeling all the color drain from his face.

"Because I was there," Kaiba growled, "I was on my way back to my dormitory, when I about ran into him in the hall. He saw the whole thing, start to finish."

"But that doesn't make any sense," Yugi said, shaking his head, "If he saw us, then why'd he distract Harry and the others from seeing any more than they did?"

Yugi looked at Malik and Kaiba questioningly, only to meet with solemn faces that offered no comfort to the situation.

"It gets worse doesn't it?"

"Right before he saw you three," Kaiba started, "I saw him talking to someone just outside one of the castle windows. I couldn't really see much from where I was, but he was in a big hurry to cover it up once he heard you three coming."

"Did you catch what they were talking about?" Yugi asked

"Not a word," Kaiba shook his head, "It was some ancient gibberish I couldn't make heads or tails of."

"How do you know it was ancient?" Malik asked.

"You could just tell," Kaiba snapped, not liking the fact he for once had no better explination, "The fact he's hiding something, and covering up for us worries me."

_//He's a man who's not supposed to have any knowledge of this world,// _Yami agreed, _//His lack of action should be cause for alarm.//_

"Maybe he just thought he was seeing things," Ryou suggested.

_((Don't be stupid yandoushi,)) _Bakura huffed, _((He doesn't strike me as the type that believes in hallucinations. He _knows_ what he saw.))_

"He's a Death Eater." Yugi said quietly, "We know they're looking for us, following us. It only makes sense they'd have someone watching in here too."

"I doubt anyone would suspect a muggle," Malik agreed slowly, "They've got magic, so he's not really a threat."

"Except to us," Ryou pointed out, "So what do we do?"

"First, you and Yugi get your housemates on our side," Kaiba said simply, as if it were the most obvious thing in the world, "We can't watch out backs while keeping our eyes in front of us at the same time."

"They're not going to listen to us Kaiba," Yugi said, "Harry maybe, but Ron and Hermione have been watching us like hawks all day. They know something is up."

"Look Yugi," Kaiba said, his voice quickly taking on the no-nonsense growl it had when he dueled, "For years I've heard you and your little friends do nothing but preach to me about friendship and how great it is to have people on the sidelines cheering for you. If you can't change their minds, no one will. And let me make this clear: We can't fight two wars at once. Either they're with us, or this year is going to end badly."

Yugi nodded and heard Yami sigh next to him. Even the Pharaoh knew Kaiba was right. They were very alone in this alien world, and they needed allies, or they weren't going to survive. Not that it made the task in front of them any easier. In fact, it just amplified the pressure that was already hanging over the whole situation.

"We'll think of something…" Yugi sighed, not seeing any other alternative.

Ryou looked at Yugi a little like he'd lost his mind, but then seemed to resign himself to the idea. Yugi knew he wasn't looking forward to this, not the Ryou was a coward by any stretch of the imagination. After all, anyone who could put up with Bakura 24/7 could hardly be called a coward, but it was the fact he tried to avoid any unnecessary confrontation that had him in such unease. But their situation was anything far from unnecessary, and at the moment, it was hanging by a fraying thread. If they couldn't convince Harry and the others that they weren't working for this evil wizard, they were going to be in trouble.

"So you'll take care of it?"

"Yeah…._Hopefully."_ Yugi added to himself.

The plodding footsteps that accompanied the old caretaker quickly broke up the meeting, and the four quickly split up into the two groups they'd come in. Kaiba looked back over his shoulder as he and Malik vanished into the darkness. Yugi caught the look in his cold blue eyes and couldn't mistake its meaning for anything else: They had one shot at this.

-----

When Harry finally made it back to the Gryffindor Tower, he was a little surprised to see Ron and Hermione still up and waiting for him. Aside from his two friends, the rest of the tower was silent and empty, so his entry could have hardly gone unnoticed.

"Harry," Hermione said quickly, standing up from her seat at the fire place and walking over to him, "We need to talk."

It only took Harry one glance at Ron to figure out exactly what Hermione was wanting to talk about.

"Yugi right?"

"It's not just him," Ron said, "Kaiba came up to us right after you guys left for detention."

"So? He didn't attack you or anything did he?" Harry asked.

"He knows about them," Ron said, "He knew they were out last night, and I think he knows we saw them."

"Which means it's a good bet that they all know we were watching them last night!" Hermione finished.

Harry's brow furrowed. Kaiba hadn't even been with the other three, which meant he had to have been watching from elsewhere in the corridor. Maybe that was why Professor Cooper had intervened… Maybe he'd been watching too, and was stopping them before something really bad happened. Even thinking back on it now, Yugi had seemed a little more than frazzled tonight, and that necklace of his…He'd been in a really hurry to stuff it back under his robes.

"What do we do then?" Harry said, becoming more and more convinced that the exchange students were definitely up to something, "It's not like we can just walk right up to them and say 'We know you guys are Death Eaters'."

"Asking never hurts though."

All three turned on the new voice to see Yugi and Ryou standing there in the entrance way, having heard everything. Ron was the first to act, pulling out his wand on the two and pointing it directly at them. Ryou wasn't far behind him however, taking three steps as Ron had reached in his robes and grabbing a hold of the polished wood as it was aimed at his head.

"_I guess Kaiba was right…" _Yugi said to himself, as he watched the confrontation unfold. Bakura had obviously stepped in, although Yugi was a little shocked to see the Thief King being so quick to defend his hikari. But it wasn't any surprise when Yami joined his ancient counterpart.

_/Are you sure about this Yami?/ _Yugi asked worriedly, _/They already don't trust us-/_

_//They trust you. It's the Thief and I that are throwing them. They need to get used to us, or they'll discover everything.//_

"Knock it off both of you," Yami barked, mainly at Bakura. They didn't need to provoke an already tense situation.

"No," Harry said stepping in, pulling out his own wand, "Not until you tell us what exactly what is going on."

"And just what is it you think is 'going on'," Bakura scoffed, more throwing Ron's wand back at him than just dropping it, "You attacked us."

"You two and Malik were out last night," Hermione said accusingly.

"So?" Bakura scoffed, "We're not allowed to walk in the halls?"

"Not talking about stealing people's souls!" Ron shot back, "We heard you guys talking in Egyptian about it before Professor Cooper showed up. I doubt it's a very common subject in most muggle schools."

"It is when you have family in the Egyptology business," Yami said calmly.

_((What are you doing Pharaoh?!)) _Bakura was practically shouting at him, while his outside demeanor remained calm as they faced down the young wizards _(You're going to give us away!))_

_//I'm telling them the truth, or at least enough of it so they'll be able to put facts to what they've already figured out for themselves. We'll leave out enough to keep them in the dark about us, but tell them the rest to get suspicion off Yugi and the rest.//_

"What do you mean?" Hermione asked skeptically.

"My grandfather was an Egyptologist for a number of years before he opened his game shop," Yami shrugged easily, "He always said it was the games of the Ancient Egyptians that inspired him to open it."

"And we're supposed to believe that?" Ron scoffed.

"It's the truth," Yami said, "He was good friends with Professor Arthur Hawkins, a man I think you'd be familiar with even in the wizarding world."

Hermione's eyes widened for a moment as she recognized the name, her mouth forming a little "o".

"He was the one who discovered those tablets that depicted the Fall of Atlantis," She said, recalling an article she'd read some time ago, "He's also credited with the discovery of several…Egyptian..tombs…"

"Well," Ron said, his confidence now starting to falter, "What about you and Malik!?"

"My dad _is_an Egyptologist," Bakura defended, "He's currently working on translating the hieroglyphics in a newly excavated tomb they found about two years ago."

"And Malik?"

"You're serious?" Bakura asked incredulously, "He _lives_ in Egypt. Hell, his sister is the curator of the exhibit of the Nameless Pharaoh. Why wouldn't he be able to speak Egyptian?"

_//Watch it Thief!// _Yami hissed at his anonymous mention, _//I didn't say all of the truth!//_

_((Pharaoh, I cheat, steal, and lie for a living. How about a little faith?))_

"So…You guys can all speak Egyptian?" Hermione asked tentatively.

"It's like a second language."

"What about Kaiba? He seemed really upset about you three."

"Seto Kaiba is the CEO of a huge multi-million dollar company," Yami said rolling his eyes, "He's a teenager in charge of thousands of people and has to rule with an iron fist, or he'd have lost the company himself years ago. Unfortunately, because of our…well…history, he sees it as his personal responsibility to see that we don't ruin his reputation by tarnishing our own."

"Then why were you roaming the castle?" Came the question, but this time with none of the animosity that had been packed into the others.

"It's a whole new world to us," Bakura said in such a way that even Yami thought it had been Ryou, "We get enough looks and stares from people who know us already, but here? There's nothing familiar, nothing to fall back on. We just wanted to know what this place was like so maybe it wouldn't be quite so alien to us anymore. When we heard Professor Cooper, we ran for it because we thought we'd wandered somewhere we weren't supposed to be."

Harry, Ron and Hermione all looked at each other like they had just made some horrible mistake. Harry felt the worst of all, particularly since they had been dragged into detentions with Umbridge for believing him. After all, how could he have forgotten what it had felt like all those years ago when a half-giant had shown up in to that tiny little cottage and told him who he really was? And even then, he was at least in roughly the same part of the world he'd known his entire life. But Yugi and the others? Even without the magic, he could see how everything would be very "alien" indeed.

"Look," Yami said, breaking the uncomfortable silence, "I'm sorry we've been acting a little…well, off. But do you think you could bear with us until we get used to things a little more? I don't blame you for being suspicious. In this day and age, there's really no such thing as being too careful, but I promise we're not evil people."

"Yeah," Harry nodded, with an apologetic smile, "If you can put up with me and my paranoia, I think we'll be cool."

"Me too," Ron said quietly, putting away his wand and holding out his hand, "No hard feelings?"

"Nah," Bakura said, grasping it firmly, "I would have done the same thing if I were in your shoes."

"I'm sorry too," Hermione apologized, "I didn't mean to be so judgmental."

"It's alright," Yami grinned, "Maybe you'd like to learn some Egyptian so you won't have to guess at what we're saying in the future?"

"Are you serious?!" Hermione's face lit up," I'd absolutely love it! We'd have to find a day once a week or something when you aren't busy, but- Oh, I feel so bad for suspecting you!"

The conversation continued on all the way up the steps to the dormitories, the shaken confidences on both sides quickly being mended. But for Yami and Bakura, there was still one thing that was nagging at the back of their minds.

_((We didn't tell them about Cooper.)) _Bakura said stealing a glance at Yami.

_//Now might not be the best time to tell them. After all, we don't know much about the situation ourselves.//_

_((True, but waiting could make a bad situation even more dangerous.))_

_//Or clear an innocent man of suspicion. It only took one incident to make Harry and the others suspicious of us for nothing.//_

_((It wasn't for nothing Pharaoh. However misguided their suspicions may have been, they were right.))_

_-----------------------------_

Gotc: Annnnnd, cut! WAHOO! Well, while this chapter isn't quite as action heavy as I'd planned it to be, it has set us up very nicely for the next big twist in our plot bunny's ears. On a completely related note: 200 REVIWES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! AHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA! YAHOOOOOOO!!!!!!!! And a great big Review Cookie to all of you who reviewed last chappie to push this fic over that milestone! Next up is 300, R&R so we can get there even faster!


	23. Survival of the Fittest

Gotc: Well, I was happy enough after that last chappie to launch right into the next!

Ace: Wahoo….

Gotc: Knock it off and get your butt in gear. This is your debut chapter!

Ace: Wasn't that like twenty chapters ago?

Gotc: Eh, you've been sparatic throughout this whole thing, so this is really the first chapter you have a big part in!

Ace: Whatever. Start the fic so we can get this nightmare over with.

Gotc: Like you have anything else better to do. Squeaky!

Squeaky: Squeak! (This'll be good..No stealing.)

Gotc: Yep! Enjoy the plot bunny I have planned! Oh, and I think the song for this chapter would have to be Get Off of My Back by Bryan Adams.

_Harry Potter and the Order of the Rising Dragon_

CHAPTER 22: Survival of the Fittest

"_What's wrong Pharaoh?" A jeering voice came from somewhere above him, "I didn't think you liked sand that much."_

_Yami struggled to lift his head, now very much aware of his body's protests against movement. The golden sand was hot against his skin, and the sun above was burning even hotter. Sweat rolled off of him in torrents, and rather than helping him cool off, it only served to give the fine grit something more to stick to. His arms quaked dangerously beneath him, threatening to give out at any moment, even as a pair of sandals crossed into his limited field of vision._

"_How sad…" The man before him scoffed disappointedly, "I thought the Pharaoh was supposed to be the Earth-born son of Ra himself? Certainly it couldn't be that easy to beat a god?"_

"_I'm no god," Yami growled, forcing himself back onto his feet, a golden blade clutched tightly in one hand, "But when I'm done with you, I'd stake my soul you'll be praying to one!"_

----

Yugi woke the next morning to the fading echo of clashing metal and Harry's voice as the young wizard tried to shake him awake.

"Yugi! Hey wake up!" Harry's voice called, bringing him back to the waking world.

It took a moment for his eyes to adjust to adjust to the morning light pouring into the dormitory. He felt his forehead was bathed in cold sweat, which was a stark contrast from the blazing sands of Egypt he'd felt only moments before. No, not him; Yami. That dream had been far too real to have been just the random cobbled movie his subconscious was supposed to put together in his sleep. He had _felt_ the sand and the sun. He had heard that man so clearly, he was almost certain he could pick out his voice from a crowd if he ever heard it again.

To make matters worse, Yami had fallen back into his "recluse mode"; locking himself away in his soul room and blocking himself off from Yugi. It was something Yugi understood, years of struggling to remember even the tiniest bit of his past life and now frustrating, unhelpful glimpses were popping up left and right. He needed time to sort things out, but in the interim it left Yugi feeling hollow and lost himself.

"You alright Yugi?" Harry asked, the concern in his voice a pleasant chance from the suspicion of the night before.

"Yeah," Yugi said, a bit unconvincingly, "Yeah, I'm fine. Just a…a strange dream."

"Well after Umbridge last night it's no wonder," Harry said jokingly, "She's enough to give anyone nightmares."

Even Yugi had to laugh at that, at least until he remembered that his punishment with the Ministry witch was far from over. Looking around at the rest of the room, he realized the rest of the dormitory was empty, including Ryou's bed. Stealing a quick glance at the clock, Yugi saw it was halfway through breakfast, and he was going to be late for his first class.

"Where'd Ryou and Ron head off to so early?" Yugi asked Harry after quickly getting dressed and hurrying down to breakfast.

"Homework I'd imagine," Harry sighed, "You had a stroke of luck getting Ancient Runes instead of Divination. At least you halfway know what you're doing in there. I think Professor Trewlney's tower's up too high and there's not enough oxygen getting to her brain."

"She's that bad huh?"

"I got used to her predicting my death every other day after my third year."

"Ouch."

"Hey, speaking of" Harry said, "You don't think there's any chance I could use that dream of yours do you? Trewlney's making us keep a diary of them, but to be honest I've been so tired that if I'm having dreams I think I'm sleeping right through them."

Yugi swallowed hard, and tried to think of something to tell Harry. He really didn't want to lie to him, especially after they had just earned back his trust. But what would he say: "Well, it's not really my dream either. The Spirit who lives inside of my head is having flashbacks from his past life and I'm just enjoying the show."

"It wasn't anything too great," Yugi said, "I was dueling. I guess it's been awhile since I've had a good match."

It wasn't a complete lie. It had been a duel of sorts, just with a sword instead of cards. But Harry seemed to buy it. Mentally, Yugi let out a sigh of relief, but made a note to talk to Ryou and Malik the first chance he had. Bakura's words still haunted him, and if these memory flashes were the early signs of millennia old magic beginning to deteriorate, then they needed to find a way to stop it and fast.

Unfortunatly, Yugi didn't get the chance. Most of the day rushed by in such a blur, that Yugi stopped trying to remember what time it was and where he had to be and just followed the crowd of his fellow classmates to and from each class. Their teachers had all decided that two days was more than enough time to get settled in and had started class the instant the last student stepped through the door.

By the time his detention with Umbridge came around, his homework load had doubled without any hope of finishing any of it that evening. Yugi also suspected that Umbridge had cast some kind of spell to re-coat her entire room with a thin film of dust as he and Ryou once again set off cleaning her thousands of baubles and knickknacks. Once or twice he thought about saying something to his friend, but with Yami brooding alone his ability to actually 'talk' with Ryou would have been limited at best. And there was no way that he would ever dream of risking open conversation with Umbridge watching them like a hawk.

He tried one last time after they'd finished their nightly prison sentence, motioning for Ryou to drop back a little from Harry as they headed back to the Gryffindor Common Room. But just as he was about to say something, they unexpectedly ran into Ron wandering the empty halls. Groaning inwardly, Yugi gave up trying to talk to Ryou for the day and wearily trudged back to the Tower, lost in his own thoughts.

----

It was with mixed feelings when Yugi awoke the following morning after an uneventful night. He'd been so tired when he did make it to bed, there hadn't been another dream. Not that he would have remembered it; he wasn't even how he'd made it to bed. A messy stack of scrawled parchment sat next to his bed, assuring him he'd done something that could be considered homework before hitting the pillow, although it probably wasn't anything near acceptable. He did find Yami's soul room door cracked open ever so slightly, but decided not to disturb the Pharaoh just yet. Yami had just as much on his mind as Yugi did and troubling each other with one another's problems wouldn't be good for either of them.

One thought did break through the muddled haze that had settled around his mind. Today was Thursday, and that meant they'd have their first lesson with Professor Cooper today. He wasn't entirely sure why he was so anxious to meet the non-magical professor, but the thought was enough to help him through an exceptionally long class with the Potions Master.

After a quick lunch, the Gryffindors headed outside to where they'd all been told to meet for class. It was a wide open area, with a decent view of the groundskeeper's hut on one side, and the Quiditch pitch on the other. Yugi could even see the Forbidden Forest off in the distance, the daylight seeming to vanish the closer it drew to the massive trees. A shiver ran down his spine as he turned away from the trees, not entirely convinced that there wasn't something watching them from behind the tangled branches. The only thing missing now, was their professor.

Students began to quietly talk amongst their selves, no one in any real hurry to begin the lesson, so Yugi seized the opportunity to talk to Ryou. The white-haired teen seemed a little surprised when Yugi pulled him aside, but this was something that couldn't wait any longer.

"What is i-"

"Yami had another dream." Yugi said quietly, cutting his friend off.

"What?" Ryou said, shocked, "When?"

"Night before last," Yugi said glancing about to make sure they weren't being overheard, "They're just so random though, I can't tell if they have any connection to one another."

"What does Yami think?"

//_I have no idea.//_ The deep voice startling Yugi after not hearing it all day, //_The flashes come and go so quickly. Like I'm only seeing or hearing just small parts of a conversation. And there's always someone else there with me, but I haven't been able to see his face!//_

Yugi and Ryou both winced at the frustration in Yami's voice, but before they were able to reply, Professor Cooper's voice boomed across the open field.

"Good afternoon, Ladies and Gentlemen!" His voice carried with astonishing strength, as he strode through the throng of students.

"Good afternoon, Professor Cooper," They droned back, earning a peculiar look from the muggle.

"Ok," He said wrinkling his nose slightly, "First off, don't make this sound like I've got you in some kind of prison camp alright? Second, drop the 'Professor' bit. Nothing I'm going to teach you came from a book, so I'd rather not have the label. The name's Ace, use it at your own discretion."

Small murmurs of confusion and shock rippled through the class. They had all been expecting….well, no one was quite sure what to have expected, but Ace's comment had been something far different that what they normally heard from one of their professors. But before they could process that thought, Ace plowed on ahead as if he didn't notice their reactions.

"Alright, I know you kids have heard this same speech over and over again this week, and personally I'm rather tired of giving it, so I'll keep this brief," He said folding both arms across his chest, "As I'm sure you're all aware of by now, I am not a wizard. I can't use magic, nor would I ever want to. That being said, that does not make you or anyone else who can, superior to me. That's because, outside these stone walls, out in the real world, neither can you."

No one said a word this time. Whether they had thought about it before or not, Ace had made a very good point. Until they became of age in another year, perhaps two, magic beyond the school grounds was forbidden, which effectively placed them on the same playing field as the muggles.

"That is why after today, you will not bring your wands to this class," Ace said in a tone that very clearly meant there would be no arguing on the subject, "You will learn what I have to show you that same way I did, no magic and no shortcuts."

"Professor," Hermione said, her hand going up into the air, "I mean, Ace, we've already been told by our other Defense Against the Dark Art's teacher that we won't be practicing any magic in her class, now here? If you don't mind me asking, how exactly are we going to learn?"

A thin smile spread across Ace's face that was quickly replaced by a serious look that commanded the respect and attention of the entire class.

"For that last four years of your school careers, you've been taught to defend yourself against hostile, or dark magic," He asked in a way that was more a statement than anything else, "Or most of you anyway."

"Well, yeah," Harry said, "This class is 'Defense against the Dark Arts'."

"Alright," Ace said, nodding his head, "Then who can tell me what exactly are these 'Dark Arts'?"

Hermione was the first with her hand in the air, and Ace silently gestured for her to share what she had to say with the rest of the group.

"The Dark Arts refer to any act of magic performed with the intent to harm another individual," She said quickly, "Curses, hexes, and the Unforgivables are the most widely recognized. Some of the earliest dark magic recorded started as far back as Ancient Egypt."

Ace nodded thoughtfully, but still said nothing as he took the few steps that separated him from the rest of the class, now seeming to tower over everyone. His eyes wandered over every student before him, looking them over with a quiet assessment. Yugi felt like those eyes might have well been looking straight through him. But he wasn't the only one watching and listening to their new professor. Yami had appeared without announcement next to him, and even Bakura seemed to have taken a break from his normal banter with the former king to observe this man.

"Five points to Gryfindor," He finally said aloud, "But I'm afraid you are a bit off base with your answer."

Hermione looked up at Ace with an air of complete disbelief. As did the rest of the class. No one could remember one time when the clever red-head had ever once been told she was wrong. By anybody. Hermione lapsed into an embarrassed silence, trying very hard not to meet the astonished stares of the rest of her classmates.

"It's by no fault of your own Miss Granger," Ace said reassuringly, "It's simply what you've been taught. The first part of your answer had some truth to it: Magic cast to harm another person. But does that make you all Dark Wizards then?"

"Of course not!" Someone shouted in an offended defense, "We're not Death Eaters!"

"Are you so sure?" Ace asked callously, "Does your magic come from a different source than theirs? Do you use any different spells than they do?"

"They use the Unforgivables!" Neville cried out in anger, "They torture people simply for the fun of it!"

"If I'm not mistaken," Ace said quietly, "The Aurors of your world were granted permission to use those same spells _against_ the Death Eaters not very long ago."

The uproar of insult suddenly died away into silence once again, as the second of Ace's points hit home with a stunning revelation.

"Is that all that divides you from the Death Eaters?" Ace asked simply, "Permission? Who is to decide who shall be condemned for their actions and who shall be heralded as a hero for theirs? I ask you this, because up until now, you have known the line between who is good and who is evil to be black and white, rather than the many shades of grey that lie in between. What we consider to be 'Dark' more often than not is misunderstood, and what truly is to be feared we turn a blind eye to."

Ace removed his jacket and set it gently onto the ground, but it wasn't until he stood back up that the dozens of scars criss-crossing both arms were made visible to the entire class. He held up one arm, boasting what would have been a serious gash running the length of his forearm to the students.

"Because it is not alway so easy to tell who is good and who is 'evil', this is the first lesson I give you for this class; know your enemy." He said tracing the paled line of the scar with his other hand, "Every scar you see here is a reminder for me, a mistake I've made. I over-estimated my own abilities, let down my guard and paid for it. It's a fault no one is above, but one I will nonetheless try to beat out of you."

Ace dropped his arms, and clasped them firmly behind his back, looking more like royalty than the rough and tough fighter most of the world portrayed him to be. Yugi felt a strange tug pull at him from the back of his mind, but it wasn't coming from Yami. Then again, maybe both of them were feeling it, but unable to place the bizarre sensation.

"While the world isn't divided into good and evil, don't be naïve enough to believe that you could defend, or even fight back against someone set on doing you harm. That's why I'm going to make sure you're ready should that day ever come. My job here isn't to teach you how to fight," Ace said, his voice raising ever so slightly, "My job isn't to give you bits and pieces of odd information that you will never use again in your life. It's my job to teach you the skills you will need outside the walls of this castle, not cute spells, but things that will keep you alive. Because it's my job, to teach you how to survive."

With that, Ace dropped back a few paces and crouched ever so slightly into a fighting stance, beckoning to Dean Thomas standing in the first row of students. Dean looked around confused at what the professor was asking him to do, but took a few uneasy steps forward from the protection of the rest of the group.

"Well?" Ace said impatiently, "Don't just stand there! Draw your wand, or put up your fists!"

"Y-you want be to fight you?" Dean asked incredulously, and looked absolutely shocked when Ace nodded, "Why!? Attacking a teacher is forbidden!"

"I need to know just how competent you are in defending yourself and engaging an enemy," Ace said easily, "If you still have problems with attacking a teacher, I could always attack you first…"

Dean stood uncertain for another moment, before he pulled his wand from underneath his sleeve and carefully aimed it at Ace, cast a quick jinx. Ace rolled his eyes, merely leaning to one side enough for the spell to soar harmlessly past his head. Seeing this Dean raised his wand a second time, casting his next spell with more confidence in his voice. But even so, the hex came nowhere near hitting the professor. Now frustrated, Dean shouted another spell, but this time, Ace charged him halfway through. He lashed out in one fluid motion, knocking the wand from Dean's hand and causing him to fall onto his back.

"Your eyes give away your every move, I could tell right where your spell was going to be even before you used it. " Ace said quickly, before motioning for the next student to step forward, "You."

Seamus was the next to step up, but didn't go for his wand. Instead he lunged at Ace, swinging a fist at his midsection. Ace was ready for that too, grabbing the top of Seamus's arm, and forcing him to the ground before he could make contact.

"You leave yourself unprotected when you swing like that!" Ace chided him, as the next person stood up for their chance at him.

One by one, the scene played out a little differently, but always ended with the same results. Both Ron and Harry ended up face-down in the grass after a failed attempt to petrify their professor before he could get within striking distance, and Hermione found herself knocked on her backside, with her wand twirling uselessly between Ace's fingers.

The group yet to test themselves against Ace was dwindling away to nothing, but Ryou and Yugi were still nervously awaiting their turn. Yugi had little doubt in his mind that they would fare far worse against Ace than the rest of their classmates had, since they hardly knew any magic at all. Well, that wasn't entirely true, but given the recent circumstances surrounding the odd professor, they didn't know any magic they_ could_ use around him. Yugi was so deep in thought, that when he heard Yami's voice echo in his mind, it startled him.

//_I want to fight him.// _Yami said without preamble.

/_You do?/ _Yugi asked, a little nonplussed by the sudden declaration, _/Not to be rude or anything, but why?/_

_//Truthfully Aibou…I don't know. But it's a feeling gnawing away at me until I feel hollow for turning away from the opportunity.//_

_((You too then, eh Pharaoh?)) _Bakura chimed in, not looking away from Ace, _((I was wanting a piece of him myself, but as much as I hate to admit it, I don't think either one of us stand a chance against him alone.))_

Yami looked at the former Tomb Robber and raised and amused eyebrow. Never, ever in his life had he once even imagined the Thief asking for help, even though it was in a bit of a roundabout way. But of all the people he could ask?

_((Don't read too much into it Pharaoh!))_ Bakura snapped back, guessing at Yami's thoughts, _((I'd rather ask your friend the Mutt than you for help, but since it would be asinine to reveal myself to anyone else here, I'm stuck with you.))_

_//Am I to assume you have a plan of attack then?// _Yami asked.

_((Yeah. Cooper's been taking everyone on one at a time, focusing solely on whoever he's up against at the moment. It's the same way at those tournaments he's so famous for too. If you can distract him long enough, I should be able to catch him off-guard when he's not paying attention.))_

_//Which effectively makes me bait.//_

_((In a way, but face it Pharaoh; out of the both of us, I'm the stealthier. My specialty is in sneak attacks. You do better with a forward approach.))_

_//Let's say I agree to this. How long would you need?//_

_((At the rate these fools are dropping out there? I doubt either of us would be able to last 30 seconds. Are you in or not?))_

Yami looked up and out to where Ace was standing. Suddenly, there was no more time to contemplate this. They were the last ones, and he was waiting. He glanced at Yugi one last time, his lighter half giving him a nod of encouragement before he let Yami take control of his body. Next to him Bakura did the same, his eyes searching the former king for an answer.

"Let's go."

Yami caught the briefest glimpses of a sly grin on the Thief's face, before he steppedforward for his turn against Ace. Without thinking, Yami crouched into a defensive position a few yards away from his professor, but unlike his classmates made no move to attack. After a moment, Ace cocked his head at him, a look of amusement plain on his face.

"Is there a problem?" He called.

"I'm just following the lesson," Yami shot back, "You told us we should know our enemy, and not over-estimate our own abilities. It would seem attacking first would only be ignoring that."

"So it would seem," Ace said, with a hint of a chuckle in his voice, "Then the first move is mine."

For some reason, Yami had been expecting a bit more of a delay in the time it would have taken Ace to cross the open ground separating them. In what seemed like a second flat, Ace's shoulder was only a breath away from embedding itself in his chest. With no time to think, Yami let his instincts take hold instead. He rocked over to one side, the blow meant to disarm and knock him to the ground missing by mere millimeters, and retaliated with a punch of his own.

Ace dodged the blow just as quickly, but it forced him to back away, giving Yami considerably more breathing room than he had before. It didn't last long_, _before Ace was charging him yet again, this time with far more vigor behind his attack. Yami literally had to dive out of the way to avoid it and rolled up onto his feet, only to find Cooper hot on his heels. Knowing he'd be unable to rally against him in time, or dodge the next assault, Yami spun on his heels and caught the punch aimed at his midsection with one hand. The force of it caused him to lose his footing, but wasn't enough to knock him off of his feet either. Before Ace could strike again, Yami copied the professor, lashing out with his free hand, only for it to be stopped in a similar manner. Straining to break the deadlock in his favor, Yami pushed back with every ounce of strength he possessed, but it wasn't quite enough. But he could have sworn he saw a flash of white hair rush up just over Ace's shoulder…

"You're….good…" Yami grunted, his arms starting to shake from the effort.

"You're not bad…yourself. But I have…some bad news for you…"Ace acknowledged, a smirk forming on his face to Yami's horror, "I'm better."

Yami felt himself suddenly lurch forward, as Ace broke the stalemate. As he floundered to catch himself, he felt Ace's hand at the back of his neck, pulling him roughly forward. It wasn't until it was too late, he saw Bakura going in for his attack, and unable to get out of the way fast enough as Ace threw Yami into him. The collision made him see stars, as he bounced off of Bakura and dropped to the ground. He could hear the Thief's dazed groan, as Ace walked over and knelt next to Yami's now aching head.

"You confronted me, while he went in for a kidney strike. A notable tactic of an assassin if I'm not mistaken, and a clever plan," Ace said, "You did well for your first lesson, but you need to learn the first rule: always be aware of your surroundings."

Yami glared up at Ace, as he gave him a clap on the shoulder before getting back to his feet and walked back towards the rest of the class. Yami only wanted to lay in the grass, but his pride wouldn't let him and he struggled to stand back up when he heard Bakura next to him.

"The next chance we get…" The Tomb Robber growled, "I'm sending him to the Shadow Realm for a lesson in 'surroundings' he'll never forget… I don't care what he knows about us..."

Yami could only shake his head and help the Thief back to his feet, and rejoin the rest of their weary classmates.

------

Gotc: Yay! I finally got to do this chapter! And with more Ace! Well, I'm sleepy and going to bed, but remember to review for me and if you have a song you think would fit this chapter better than the one I picked, slap it in there and I'll take a listen to it! Oh! And keep an eye out for my next chappie…..it's gonna be a doozie…..


	24. Another Missing Piece

Gotc: Hi there everyone! I'm back and I'm going to address an issue a couple of you were kind enough to point out to me in the last chapter. Sorry about the Hermione having red hair thing. I don't know why, but I picture her with it, ever since the first book came out.

Ace: Fail.

Gotc: I swear one day I'm just going to lock you in a closet and forget about you. Moving on, I am glad you guys liked the little skirmish between Ace and our yamis. I promise there was a good reason for it besides my own entertainment!

Ace: Hey! I have feelings to you know!

Gotc: And I continue to choose to ignore them. So let's move on with this! Squeaky!

Squeaky: Squeak! (I've got bets running for the chapter where you get knocked on your tail. Who wants in?!)

Ace: I know when I'm going to knock you on your tail!

Gotc: Really Squeaky….I'll go in for twenty bucks!

Ace: You know when it'll happen!

Gotc: You're kidding right? Since when did I give you the impression that any part of this story was planned?

Ace: I'll take that bet Squeaky.

Gotc: While we get squared away, you guys go on and enjoy the fic! And our song for today is Look After You by The Fray!

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_Harry Potter and the Order of the Rising Dragon_

CHAPTER 23: Another Missing Piece 

Yugi didn't think it was possible to ache any more than he did now. Not that Ryou or Harry were doing any better at the moment, considering they were now stuck with Professor Umbridge for the next several hours. His arms still felt weak and shaky from Yami's encounter with Professor Cooper, and he could only imagine it was going to be worse tomorrow. But right now, it made cleaning Umbridge's room for the third time all the more difficult.

_//Aibou, please,// _Yami insisted for the fifth time that evening, _//You should rest and let me take over for a while. I was the one who got you in trouble in the first place.//_

_/Yami I promise I'm fine./ _Yugi chuckled a little to himself_, /Besides, it's not like I'm not used to stuff like this by now. I feel better than I did after dueling Marik in the Battle City tournament. Still, I think I'm going to have a nice bruise where you collided with Bakura./_

When the only response Yugi got back from his darker half was a wave of remorse, the smile faded from his voice, and was replaced by a heavy sigh. There were a few things that came to mind to change the subject, but there was one question in particular that was nagging at him.

_/Yami…./ _Yugi asked tentatively, not wanting to purposely poke at sore subject, _/How did you know?/_

_//Know what?//_

_/That you could take Ace./_

_//Hmph. I think everyone who saw what happened today would have a very different perception of the situation. Especially when __both__ the Thief and I ended up in the dirt.//_

_/Ok, so he got the best of both of you. But you know that's not what I mean. You lasted longer against him than everyone in the class. I didn't even know you could fight like that!/_

_//Neither did I…//_

Yugi paused for a moment in his cleaning. There was concern in Yami's voice now, perhaps even fear. While Yugi couldn't quite say that Yami being able to defend himself, even for a short time, was a bad thing, he understood the worried tone in his voice.

/_Yami,/ _Yugi tried to reason as much with Yami as with himself, _/Just because you've been having flashes of your memories doesn't mean that this could be connected./_

_//It would be an awful coincidence if they weren't.// _Yami pointed out, _//Today…It was like a memory in itself. When I was facing Cooper…I didn't have to think. It just was….well, easy is a pretty poor way to describe it, but it's the only word I can think of. And the other night….I was fighting someone as Pharaoh. I fail to see how they aren't connected in some way. I think even Bakura knows.// _

_/What makes you say that?/_

_//He actually trusted me to carry out a plan, and not fail before he could act. And the Thief isn't exactly one to trust many people.//_

Yugi couldn't argue with that. Bakura hardly said four words, before there was some kind of insult aimed at one of them. And while Yugi hadn't thought much of it at the time, Bakura never asked for help, no matter how bad the situation was.

//_I….I just wish we knew more.// _Yami sighed, _//It seems like everyone around us knows more about me than I do.//_

_/There's only so long that can last./ _

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Morning, and whatever promise of rest it brought, was not welcome in the Gryffindor dormitories. Pain seemed to have taken on a whole new meaning, until it had become a parasite that had embedded itself in the muscle of every last student. Only the comfort of a four-poster bed was enough to keep the ache at bay. And even the dawn seemed to sympathize with them, rising as a dark and gloomy day, whose pale light offered no warmth.

Still, there were some signs of life. A few birds twittered merrily just outside one of the windows to the boy's dormitory, in an effort to try and rouse their spirits, but only succeeded in angering an already sullen yami.

_((That bird,)) _Bakura growled, his teeth clenching in rhythm to his pounding head, _((Is a grand total of two seconds from being some Shadow's breakfast.))_

_(Not now Bakura….) _Ryou moaned, trying to ignore the throbbing ache that had settled in his limbs, _(Can't you wait until after noon before trying to kill something?)_

The only reply he got back was a mumbled stream of Egyptian that he was pretty sure was meant to cuss him out, or at least something along those lines. Fortunately for him, it was the only aggressive gesture the spirit made, before he settled into a weary daze.

"Guys?" Neville muttered from his own bed, "Shouldn't we be getting breakfast?"

"Sure thing Neville," Ron groaned, "Why don't you go down to the Great Hall and pick some up for us?"

"I don't know about the rest of you…" Harry said, his eyes half-open, "But the next time I see Professor Cooper, I'm filling his shoes with cement."

A murmur of agreement rolled lazily around the room, along with a near infinitesimal burst of energy that was just enough to stir what could be called motion from the battered Gryffindors. One by one, they managed to find enough energy to force themselves from bed and start their days. Ryou wasn't far behind, swinging both legs over the edge of his bed, and plodding over to rouse Yugi who was still veiled behind the heavy curtains of his bed.

"Yugi…" Ryou yawned, staggering over to his friend's bed and rapping on the bedpost, "We're getting up…"

Ryou waited a moment, resting his head on the wooden post, before he realized he hadn't heard a response of any kind. He waited another second, before he tentatively pulled back the crimson curtains, only to find the bed made, empty and cold. Bakura even broke free of his fatigue induced stupor to glance numbly at the bed.

_((Remind me to loot this kid's sugar stash.))_

While the rest of his classmates were still stumbling out of bed to greet the morning, Yugi had never fallen asleep. To him, it was starting to become a regular occurrence, much like the headache that never truly seemed to go away. At its best, it was a persistent itch he was unable to get to, and at its worst, they were nearly blinding. Right now, it was somewhere in the middle, like an insect bite. It had finally reached the point where Yugi couldn't stand laying in bed any longer, and quietly snuck out and into the rising castle.

For a teenager, Yugi had seen and done things most people couldn't even imagine. After all, sharing a body with a 5,000 year old Pharaoh wasn't something people his age experienced on a daily basis. Nor was being something akin to an international celebrity, dueling strange characters who wanted him dead with cards that housed the spirits of monsters that dwelled within another realm, or ending up befriending most of those people. Being here, at this castle, where magic and monsters were an everyday occurrence? It was just par for the course really, and yet he was having trouble getting it all to soak in.

Maybe it was because he was so far from anything familiar, his friends, his family. Maybe it was all of the strange things in his life finally catching up to him. Maybe it was because the one 'person' he counted on the most for support and guidance, was going through the exact same thing. But whatever the reason was, Yugi felt lost. Figuratively, _and _literally.

Somehow, his feet had carried him aimlessly through the halls, until he found the plush, dew kissed grass of the Quiditch pitch beneath him. The massive bandstands towered over him, until they looked as if they would catch the laden clouds drifting overhead. He looked around for some indication of how he'd managed to get inside in the first place, but quickly gave up in favor of continuing forward. He'd managed to make it as far as the middle of the field, before the skies decided to reward him with a light, but persistent drizzle that was rapidly working its way through his robes and down to his skin. The only shelter available was the bare wooden frame from where the house banners hung during the games.

Deciding it was better than nothing, Yugi hurried beneath the sheltering beams to wait until the rain stopped. As he watched the grey skies, he got the feeling that somehow Mother Nature knew exactly how he was feeling. He leaned against one of the outer beams, trying to get more comfortable while he waited, and discovered that what he thought was hard wood must have had an enchantment placed on it to make it springy, yet firm to the touch. A safety measure to protect the players against what he'd heard could be a dangerous sport no doubt. But as his hand brushed over the wood, a strange idea came to mind, although he couldn't quite figure why he would have thought of it.

For a moment, he was glad there was no one out and about who could see him, as he pulled back a fist and let it fly into the wood grain. The charm did its trick, bouncing Yugi's fist back without injury, but a little harder than he'd first anticipated and knocked him off his feet. He chided himself for being so stupid, and turned to walk away, but stopped before he made it two steps. Mentally rolling his eyes at himself, he stood in front of the post again, this time planting his feet more solidly into the ground and struck again. His fist bounced back with a dull thump, and he stayed on his feet.

With a little more certainty, he punched at it again, now using both fists and weaving occasionally from side to side. The musty smell of old wood and magic, the sound of gentle rain splashing to the ground and the cool morning breeze made that little alcove feel a world away. As Yugi continued to use the post as a makeshift punching bag, he suddenly became aware Yami had joined in right alongside him, mirroring his moves with amazing precision. Instead of stopping, Yugi continued, letting their minds meld together as though they were dueling. It wasn't long before the simple left-jab-right started evolving into more and more intricate moves. A strike with an elbow into a chop with the side of the hand, a knee followed by a quick right.

Little by little, Yugi realized that the annoying buzz in his head had subsided to nearly nothing at all. Maybe it _was _just all the stress of this new magic and new lifestyle that had been getting to him after all, and he just needed to work it out. Finally out of breath, Yugi stopped to glance over at his darker half, who was panting for breath as well, but with a small and tired grin on his face. He felt better; they both did.

"Well done," A familiar baritone chuckled from behind them.

Yugi jerked his head in the direction he'd heard the voice, to see Professor Cooper ducking under the wooden frame work to get out of the rain. His midnight hair was soaking wet and laying limply on the top of his head, and his shirt was completely soaked through, a testament to how long he must have been out in the weather.

"How much of that did you see?" Yugi asked apprehensively, partly due to his mistrust of the strange professor and partly due to what his figured he must have looked like.

"Quite a bit, I'm afraid," Ace admitted, rubbing his chin and looking down at Yugi's posture, "You've got a good solid stance there, and you don't overcompensate or misplace your weight when you throw a punch. It's a mistake quite a few beginners make."

Yugi raised an eyebrow, as Ace continued to look over and critique his performance.

"Your strike is a little weak though," Ace said, taking a similar stance next to Yugi to demonstrate, "You're taking the strength for your punch only from your shoulders and arm. Really it should come from the whole body."

Ace looked ahead at the post Yugi had been using and squared himself with it before he went on.

"Imagine the strength coming from the Earth and rock below," He said, slowly doing the motions for Yugi to follow, "entering through your feet, traveling through your legs, hip, back and across the shoulders before going down the arm and out your hand when you make contact. You get a lot more force when you put your whole body into it. And you leave your torso wide open when you draw back to strike."

Yugi took a half step back away from Ace as the Professor grabbed his arm. He felt Yami immediately reach for the Puzzle's magic, ready to send the professor straight to the Shadows, but Ace only repositioned Yugi's arm.

"See?" He said, noting the new angle, "When you draw back, you should bring that other arm up like you're grabbing hold of something around your neck. You'll be able to defend yourself better that way."

Ace ran through that motion as well, so Yugi could get the hang of it, and didn't seem to have noticed the sudden defensiveness he'd displayed. Not quite sure what else to do, Yugi tried the tips Ace had shown him, and found they really did help quite a bit. Ace seemed pleased with the results himself, and gave Yugi a good clap on the shoulder.

"Not bad….," He said, nodding his head appreciatively, "Not bad at all."

"Isn't it against some school rule to be teaching a student how to fight?" Yugi asked.

"I'm sure," Ace said, entirely unconcerned, "But one: Most of those rules apply to wizards. I'm a muggle, ergo; those rules really don't apply to me. And two: Teaching a student how to throw a decent punch is hardly teaching them how to fight. I'm just….improving on the foundations."

"Not one for authority, are you?"

"I like to make my own rules, something you and your friends are no strangers to it would appear."

Now Yugi turned on Ace, who still looked utterly unconcerned for his own safety that, unbeknownst to him, was now in jeopardy from a 5,000 year spirit not wanting to give away an opening he could prevent. Now realizing the apprehension in Yugi's eyes, a small chuckle escaped his lips as if Yugi had just missed the punch line of a joke.

"You don't have to get so worked up," Ace assured him, throwing his hands up in a disarming way, "It's not like I'm going to turn you in or anything, but midnight strolls and bribing the other ghosts to play tricks on one another might prove to be a bit more of a dangerous game than you realize."

Yugi almost wanted to collapse from relief. So _that's _what Cooper thought he saw! He was just as new to the castle as the rest of them, so it would only make sense that he wouldn't now all of the ghosts that called the school home. Not that they did either, but that was hardly the point.

"Anyway," Ace said, draping his arms over one of the beams, "How'd you end up running with a bunch like that in the first place? Not that they aren't good kids or anything, but I thought I remembered reading somewhere that all of you were supposed to be bitter rivals or something."

_//That's an understatement…//_ Yugi heard Yami scoff, //_Still, be careful how much you tell him Aibou…//_

"We were for a long time," Yugi admitted, "But it was better for all of us to associate with one another instead of trying to kill each other every time we had a match, so to speak. What about you? How'd someone like you end up in a school for wizards."

"The same way I've done everything else in my life," Ace half laughed, half scoffed, "By accident. Apparently, I was in London at the same time the Headmaster was out recruiting."

"Where were you before that?"

"Ya' know…." Ace thought for a moment, "I don't remember to be quite honest. Tibet maybe… I really couldn't tell ya. Truth is, I don't like staying in one place for very long any more. Things get familiar, and shortly after, boring."

"Haven't you ever thought of, at the risk of sounding cliché, settling down and having a family somewhere? A home even?" Yugi asked, and was immediately sorry he had.

Ace's face was suddenly hidden by a mask, a cover that gave away no emotion, and left him looking like a hollow shell, instead of the person Yugi'd been talking to moments before. But there was something in the professor's eyes that he couldn't quite bury from sight.

"Everyone _thinks_ about it," He said, keeping his voice steady and level, "Just….Well, not everyone's meant for it. Besides, who needs to settle down when you've got the whole world there at your fingertips?"

Yugi wanted to say something, in fact, he nearly did. The only thing that stopped him were a rapid series of flashes before his eyes: A young woman, a little girl, both with hair darker than raven's feathers and but eyes brighter than the night stars. He could see the smiles on their faces, before the scene was awash with crimson and a howl of utter loss and rage echo in the depths of his head. He couldn't tell if the horrific sound was coming from him, or someone else. Even with such a brief flash, he felt an instant wave of remorse and pain hit him. Ace hadn't noticed, but instead turned to him with a grin and stepped back out into the rain.

"Well, I think I'd better be heading off," Ace said, squinting up into the sky, "Rain's letting up and I'm famished. You might want to think about getting something to eat too. You're so skinny, even _I_ might not be able to hit you!"

"Yeah…" Yugi said shakily, trying to recover, "I think I'll be heading in too."

But even as he looked up, Ace was already jogging halfway across the pitch and well out of earshot. Yugi managed to stay on his feet long enough for Cooper to turn out of sight before his shaking legs gave out underneath him. He was getting used to the flashes by now, or as used to them as someone could, but never had they come so quickly or with such raw emotion coupled with them. Reaching through the link, he was surprised to find it still open, and called out to Yami only to receive silence. Tentatively, he withdrew inside of himself and gently nudged his darker half's soul room open and quickly found the reason for his yami's silence.

Yami was on the floor, his knees pulled up to his chest with his back propped up against one of the many inverted doors that served to decorate his soul room. Both crimson eyes were staring out into open space, two steady streams of tears pouring from them. He wasn't making any noise, or gave any sign he was aware of Yugi's presence. He just looked…lost. It wasn't until his hikari was kneeling right next to him that Yami stirred enough to look up at his lighter half.

"What happened to them… Who were they…." He mumbled, before beating one fist one the stone floor beside him "Damnit Yugi! They could have been my family and I don't even recognize them!"

Not sure what else to do, Yugi quietly took a seat next to the Pharaoh. Yami put his head back in his hands and said something in Egyptian he couldn't quite catch and said nothing else for hours until the king finally fell asleep.

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Gotc: Yeah…Not as long as I originally planned, but that's ok. It was mildly angsty which made me happy, and hopefully you all too! Plus, more Ace! Next chapter will be longer and back to the main plot instead of running off with Yugi, so keep with me and I'll have a new chappie up soon!


	25. Before It Gets Better

Gotc: Annnngst…..It's such fun. Why don't I do it more often?

Ace: Because you're too lazy to actually write anything good enough to qualify.

Gotc: Oh yeah, that's……wait.

Ace: A week into a new college semester and your already half-brain dead.

Gotc: I find myself asking this question again: "Why am I putting up with you?"

Ace: Fanfiction Character's Union.

Gotc: Stupid contracts….Squeaky, care to wrap this up before I get caught in any more red tape?

Squeaky: Squeak! (Please note that Gotc does not own Harry Potter or any legal rights pertaining to its likeness. Nor does the aforementioned hold rights to Yu-gi-oh or any familiar characters.)

Ace: Way to make it complicated, Whale…..

Squeaky: Squeak! (Hmmm…You're right, I forgot anything over three syllables is rough on you.)

Ace: Why you little-

Gotc: Pardon me while I intervene, before I have to make a trip to the hospital. In the meantime, you all go on and enjoy the fic!

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_Harry Potter and the Order of the Rising Dragon_

CHAPTER 24: Before it Gets Better…

It wasn't until later in the afternoon Yugi's limbs remembered how to move properly without shaking. He wasn't sure if it was a side effect of his earlier workout, or the near painful flash that had happened shortly afterward. He was thankful in a way that the ordeal had taken enough out of the Pharaoh to allow him to get some sleep, but at this point, he could only hope it would be restful. And at the same time, he knew it would be laced with the same flashes that had been plaguing both of them. An involuntary shiver ran through Yugi, as the rain-cooled wind managed to find him underneath the woodwork of the Quiditch stands. Deciding that getting sick and adding a fever to an already breaking mind would not benefit either of them, Yugi got back to his feet and started back towards the inviting warmth of the castle.

He felt a little like a wet dog, as he entered through the courtyard and back into the warm glow of the corridors. His whole body might have well been turned to lead, and every step felt like he had an extra thirty pounds draped around his shoulders. In short, he felt worse than if he'd just been through a marathon of Shadow Games. He caught a brief glimpse of himself in the reflection of one of the windows, his hair had fallen limp and his normally bright amethyst eyes looked like they had two deep purple bruises hanging beneath them. Yugi touched one hand to his face, just to make sure the lack of sleep wasn't playing tricks on him, when Nearly Headless Nick came floating up behind him.

"Well hello there Mr. Mutou!" Nick boomed, startling Yugi out of his daze, "You're a bit of a hard man to find, even for a ghost!"

"You were looking for me?" Yugi asked, stifling a yawn that tugged at his throat.

"Well, not so much I as your friends," The Gryffindor specter admitted, "Your foul–tempered friend had me look out for you."

"Which one?" Yugi sighed under his breath.

"Mr. Bakura I do believe," The ghost said with a hint of distaste, "In quite a bad mood today I must say, I had the impression he was a bit more meek than that, but it just goes to show you that not all first impressions are correct! Why, I remember once when I was still alive-"

"Sir Nicholas," Yugi interrupted, not really in the mood to listen to a long and winding tale, "Did Ryou say why he needed to see me?"

"Not quite, but the lad did say it was important," Nick said pointing up a flight of stairs, "He wanted you to meet him in the library whenever you turned up. Although I must say, you sure look like you could use a good couple hours sleep instead. Hogwarts has enough ghosts haunting its halls! You should hear how the Bloody Barron ended up-"

"Thank you," Yugi said with a curt bow, hightailing it up the stairs before Nick could catch him in the tale.

Tired as he was, Yugi made it to the library in good time. Madam Prince pointing to a table in the back of the library, and handing Yugi a book off of the stack she was carrying to take back with him since he was going. Unfortunately, the tome was nearly as big as he was and it took both hands and an awkward waddle for him to walk with the thing. He nearly ran into the table, before a helping hand reached out and took the monstrous manuscript from him.

"About time!" Malik's impatient voice grumbled, as he flipped open the cover and began digging through the pages.

Apparently, that book hadn't been the first Madam Prince had helped deliver to the table, as a pile worthy of being called a fortress now surrounded Malik on all sides, over half propped open with various pages marked. Marik was next to him, insubstantially going over each open page before nudging Malik from whatever he was doing to turn it for him.

The two Tomb Keepers weren't the only ones waist deep in their work, Kaiba sat at the opposite end of the table with what looked like half of an electronics store dismantled around him, and an equally impressive stack of books he kept flipping to for reference. Yugi thought he could see the glint of a duel disk peeking out from behind the jumble of wires and paper, but felt a swift tug on his sleeve that jerked him into the nearest chair.

"It's about time you got here!" Bakura's rough demeanor showing through, as he tore through a few pages of one of their textbooks, "I need to borrow your Ancient Runes homework."

"What? Why?" Yugi asked, momentarily confused, before The Thief King's request sunk in and added in a lower voice, "You speak, read, and swear in Egyptian. Why do you need my homework?"

"Because," Hermione said taking a seat next to Yugi with a stack of papers in her hand, "I offered to help him with it and he told me he didn't need it, then realized he'd forgotten just what had been assigned for us to translate."

"I _don't_ need your help," Bakura insisted, "I can translate this whole lesson blindfolded if I have to!"

"Then why don't you?" Yugi mumbled, propping up his head and leaning on the table. _/And why are you doing Ryou's homework for him?/ _He added.

_((I do happen to get tired of sitting in the passenger's seat all the time you know. Besides, it spares me having to watch Ryou slaughter the language….and he was so tired at breakfast he kept falling asleep over his food.)) _"I happen to have other things to do today, and would preferably like to get them done sometime before we have to go spend the night with that wrinkled old toad," Bakura snorted, "Now can I have the assignment or not?"

"Page 36, section nine, twelve and sixteen, plus a possible explanation of the image on page 37," Yugi relented with a bit of a knowing grin, earning him and Bakura a disapproving look from Hermione.

"Finally," Bakura huffed, flipping to the correct page and scribbling the assignment on the parchment in front of him, "See Ms. Prefect, Yugi gave me the assignment and he hasn't fallen over dead yet."

"Honestly," Hermione said peeking over the top of her book, "You've been in the worst mood today Ryou. What's gotten in to you?"

"I'm stuck in a library, with you, Malik, and the God of Irritability over there," Bakura said, not looking up from what he was doing, "What do you think is wrong?"

Yugi saw Kaiba cast a death glare Bakura's way, but apparently whatever he was working on occupied far too much of his attention to waste it on the offending Tomb Robber. Yugi let his head rest a little more on his hand and felt his eyelids start to get heavy, when Hermione's voice shook him awake again.

"So where have you been all morning Yugi?" She asked, almost too brightly for Yugi's mood.

"I uh…I had a hard time sleeping last night," Yugi said, this time not able to keep back his yawn, "I just went for a walk around the grounds."

"In this weather?"

"I was already pretty far out when it started," Yugi shrugged, "I was going to get soaked either way, heading back or going forward."

"Sure took you a long time," Bakura said absentmindedly.

"Short legs," Yugi said quickly, "Anyway, where's Harry and Ron?"

"Those two took off just before you got here," Hermione said with just a hint of disapproval, "Ron's trying out for the Gryffindor Quidich team later today and he and Harry went to get some practice beforehand."

Yugi was suddenly very glad he'd decided to come inside. He could only imagine what it would have looked like with him sitting out under the frame of the stands like some road-weary vagabond. Not to mention how he would have come up with an excuse as to why he was there in the first place and there wouldn't have been many. The sound of metal clashing with hundreds of tiny parts jerked Yugi's divided attention across the table, where Kaiba was uttering a host of rather impressive phrases at the disemboweled duel disk in front of him. He had only just opened his mouth to say something to his rival, when Hermione quickly stopped him.

"Don't even try it," Hermione sighed, gesturing to the frustrated duelist with a wave of her hand, "He's been toying with that disk thing all morning. I keep trying to tell him that muggle technology just doesn't work on the school grounds."

"Which is where you made your first mistake," Bakura chuckled, pulling out another sheet of parchment, "Tell Seto Kaiba he can't fly, and he'll build a customized jet. Tell Seto Kaiba McDonald's stops serving breakfast at 10:30 and he'll buy the place for a McMuffin. You don't tell Seto Kaiba what he can and can't do."

"Wow," Kaiba grunted from the other end of the table, "That was actually a decent insult. Now if only your dueling were just as good…"

"Can you guys cut the commentary for about five minutes?" Malik barked irritably, running both hands across his scalp, "Someone must be trying to kill me…."

"Now _that_ would be a nice change of pace…" Bakura snickered under his breath, while Yugi rolled his eyes at the implication.

"_Like you're one to talk_," Malik hissed back in Egyptian.

"You're still working on those scans?" Yugi yawned again.

"Yeah, and they aren't making any sense whatsoever!" The Egyptian growled, "It's like I said before, the glyphs are Egyptian, whatever they're saying isn't! I've tried every cipher I know, every technique in the paleographer's handbook, and am still coming up with nothing but a load of gibberish!"

"Why don't you give it a break and come back to it later after you've done some homework?" Hermione suggested in very motherly manner.

"Sure thing," Malik said waving one hand flippantly, "I tell you what, you keep an eye out that window over there and when you see a bunch of pink martians tap dancing to "Singing in the Rain", then we'll talk."

"A simple 'No' would have worked," Hermione pointed out, walking around to stand over Malik's shoulder "Have you found a grammatical pattern?" Hermione asked, "It might help you figure out if it really is another language."

"A good idea," Malik said, mildly impressed, "But this text is all over the place. It's not coherent, nor is it keeping with any other grammatical structure known at the time. The only progress I've made was a short phrase from a separate column in the tomb and then I tried a letter for letter translation, and ended up with a variation of the Latin word 'custodes'. It keeps repeating this same word a number of times throughout the text."

"What's that mean?" Yugi asked, now interested himself in this new conundrum.

"It means 'Keeper' oddly enough," Malik managed without a chuckle, "It's more than a streach, but I'm running out of ideas at this point…"

"A Latin variation?" Hermione said, more than a little puzzled herself, "How old did you say this tomb was?"

"About 5,000 years old," Malik said, "So there shouldn't have been any outside influences that we know of present in Egypt at that time."

"Right," Kaiba huffed, not looking up from his project, "Because we already know _sooooo_ much about the life and times of _Ancient_ Egypt…."

_((Someone's in denial…))_ Yugi heard Bakura chuckle in his head, _((And where's your other half? I thought he'd have his royal nose in this for sure.))_

_/He's….tired./_

_((Like Ammut he is.)) _Bakur'as eyes flashed in Yugi's direction, _((You saw something earlier didn't you? Another flash!? Damnit Yugi! That's two in less than a week! What was this one of?!))_

_/I'm not sure….I saw faces. A woman and a young girl./_

_((And….))_

_/Sorrow, loss, and a whole bunch of other feelings that just suddenly rammed into us like a truck. It was worse than before.../_

_((Which means _he's_ getting worse.)) _Came the irritated sigh.

_/You sound worried about him./_

_((Believe me when I say this,)) _Bakura rounded on him, _((Nothing in this world would make me happier than to see that Pharaoh of yours at the bottom of a very, very deep hole. At that same token, killing him, or him losing his mind, is like signing the rest of the planet's death warrants before I get the chance to rule over their pathetic lives.))_

_/I'm glad you have such ambitions Bakura…./ _Yugi sighed.

Absentmindedly, Yugi half listened/half stared at Malik and Hermione while they poured over a few important looking phrases, but every time he tried to focus on what they were saying, he just felt his mind start to drift and slip away back to that same dream-like state. Just as he was about to give up on coherent thought, Bakura's voice interrupted the calm once again.

_((Did you see anything else in that flash of yours?))_

_/No,/_ Yugi blinked, _/A quick glimpse of the two faces and then the train wreck afterwards./_

_((There should have been more.)) _The Thief King grumbled to himself, _((All of your other flashes had more…))_

_/Yeah, but none of them had the emotion that came with it either./_ Yugi pointed out, _/And to be honest, I'm glad it didn't last any longer than it did-/_

Yugi stopped mid-sentence, as he looked up at Bakura. Whenever the Thief King was in control of Ryou, there were always a few subtle differences he could pick out to tell the two apart. Ryou was always a soft-spoken individual, while Bakura made it perfectly clear he would express whatever thought came to mind whenever and wherever he deemed it appropriate enough to irritate and insult everyone around him. Ryou hardly ever made eye-contact with anyone but close friends, Bakura would stare down anyone and everyone who he thought was in his way. And there was always a confident air the former thief carried about with him that worked at a subconscious level, that simply demanded respect from people who crossed his path. In a way, it was the same aura he'd come to know from Yami, though not quite as abrasive.

But as he looked at the white-haired spirit now, he found it nearly impossible to tell the difference. The normally fierce eyes that never seemed to rest on one spot for too long, now stared off into the distance, looking at absolutely nothing at all, while the rest of his face was set in a strange grimace Yugi was almost certain he'd seen somewhere else before. And it took him all of a half second to figure out just where he recognized it from. Yami. It was the same lost look he'd been seeing on his own spirit's face more and more often.

_/You're having these flashes too!/ _Yugi almost shouted without the mind-link.

_((You're delusional.))_ Bakura spat back, but his voice held none of the venom it usually did.

_/I'm delusional and you're a liar, so we're all in good company./ _Yugi snapped, perhaps a bit more uncharacteristically than usual, _/How long?!/_

_((Since that day in the bookstore.)) _He finally relented, _((And almost every night since then.))_

_/Why didn't you tell us?!/_

_((Because I thought I had all of my memories!)) _Bakura shouted back at him, anger and resentment all to plain in his voice, _((It's that Ra-be-dammed pharaoh of yours that's supposed to be the amnesia patient!))_

Yugi felt his anger and irritation at Bakura for hiding something so important, suddenly evaporate as quickly as it had come over him. He'd never even considered the idea that Bakura could have been in the same situation as Yami. Bakura was usually the one to cause problems, not have them. He just didn't show weakness, so seeing it was something Yugi wasn't sure how to approach.

_/What are they like?/ _Yugi finally managed to say, _/And how come Ryou hasn't noticed something like that?/_

_((Unlike the Pharaoh,))_ Bakura huffed, _((I happen to enjoy some semblance of privacy and don't feel the need to be attached to the little whelp's hip like a deformed tumor. Besides, they hardly make any sense to begin with.))_

_/That's why you wanted to hear about Yami's? To compare notes…/_

_((Lot of good they've done us so far…)) _The familiar growl creeping back into the Thief King's tone, _((Your pathetic excuse for a king is getting worse, and now I caught whatever hallucinogen he's been on-))_

A loud hum caught everyone's attention, breaking the hushed silence of their quiet corner of the library. Kaiba sat back in his chair with an overly satisfied smirk on his face, before leaning forward again to hover over his hard-earned prize. Hermione was beside herself, with a half astonished, half horrified look all over her face, as she was faced with the very thing she'd called impossible not a half hour earlier.

"But….." She stammered, for once at a loss for words, "…H….how?"

It was a sentiment shared by all, but hardly unwelcomed by the other three sitting at the table. Despite the nearly tangible sense of dread that had seemed to follow them since their first encounter with this strange new world, Yugi felt a smile creep onto his face. That metallic hum resonated in his very core as a duelist, bringing familiar warmth back to his fingers that now itched to hold his neglected deck. For a brief moment, he forgot his troubles at hand and his only thought suddenly came blurting out.

"Kaiba, how soon can you get two of those working?"

---------------------------------------------------------------

Gotc: I'm finding more and more that certain chapters I have planned end up getting pushed back a little at a time as new thoughts come up. Meh. Such is life I suppose. Anyhoo, you all remember how this little tango goes right? Little button there at the bottom? Reviewing? Happiness all around, then I see you all again at a yet undetermined date? You do? Wonderful! So I'll catch you all next chappie then!


	26. The Game of Life

Gotc: Hiii......

Ace: You don't get to talk to them anymore. Leaving people hanging for so long. Shame on you.

Gotc: Since when do you care?!

Ace: Since it makes your life more difficult.

Gotc: Someone please inform me why I put up with him. Anyway, yes I am back...ish. College just sucks and I think because the university is being forced to pay for it, it gives them free reign to make my life miserable. Besides that, my lappy died which has made the typing portion of updating difficult. But here it is and I hope you all enjoy!!! Squeaky!!!

Squeaky: Squeak! (No owning here people! But perhaps you could take it up with James Cameron, he might have some tips on stealing for you.)

Ace: OHOHO BURN!

Gotc: That wasn't nice Squeaky... *Snickers* Enjoy....

_Harry Potter and the Order of the Rising Dragon_

CHAPTER 25: The Game of Life

For in a long time, euphoria rather than the prevailing sense of awkwardness and unease was at an all time high. Kaiba had a working duel disk. That one, beautiful thought was enough to make even Bakura want to kick up his feet in jubilation. After having their very identities challenged and hidden away to avoid suspicion in this bizarre new culture, even just hearing the sound of the dueling machine come back to life was enough to breathe new life into them as well.

For a moment, Yugi felt guilty for rousing his darker half from what he knew was some much needed rest. But after hearing the news and seeing the look of pure joy on his weary yami's face, he decided it would have been far crueler to have kept such tidings from him. He even heard Bakura stir Ryou from his slumber, and the joyous exclamation to follow. And the look on Malik's face could hardly be described as anything less than ecstatic. Even Kaiba, the normally stoic and emotionally detached CEO had what Yugi could only guess was a smile on his face, as he muttered something about putting off another project to get a second disk working.

Hermione was close to condemning all of them, swearing the ingenious creation of magic and science before here was nothing less than blasphemy of the wizarding world. She refused to believe that a _student_, let alone someone with no prior training in the wizarding arts and who'd been nothing more than a muggle little more than a month ago could have possibly overcome one of the most ancient safeguards that kept the school safe from prying eyes. That fact alone was enough for her to sweep the contraption into her arms and march it straight to the headmaster's office.

"Hermione!" Malik nearly screeched, coming out of his chair and earning him a few odd looks from across the library, "What are you doing! Put it down before you break it!"

"_I_ made it, you desert rat!" Kaiba hissed at Malik's comment, "And nothing with _my_ name on it would ever be so fragile or poorly constructed! There's a dozen different spells on that thing, each one reinforcing the other. I'd like to see even their magical CIA or whatever they call it to try and take it apart."

"Seeing as how you haven't tested it, and that may very well be what they'll want to do with it," Ryou reasoned, taking over his body once more before Bakura sent an unwitting Hermione on a long trip to the Shadow Realm, "Don't you think it may be a good idea to stop her?"

Yugi was already well ahead of them, sprinting out ahead of Hermione to stop her before she could get within view of any other students or teachers. He understood where she was coming from, but telling her that she was wrong for being so mistrustful of the new technology wasn't going to help the situation at all. He had to make her understand.

"Hermione please," Yugi pleaded, "Will you just hear us out before you go to the Headmaster?"

Hermione stopped briefly in her stride to face Yugi a bit more directly, and shuffled the disk in her arms to a more comfortable position.

"Look," He started, not really waiting to hear her answer, "This whole wizarding thing is new to us. Every single day we find out there's yet another weird contraption you use on a daily basis for some routine task. You've asked us to adapt to a whole new world without complaint, so why is it so hard when we ask you to let us have one small piece of _our_ world?"

"Because _this_," She said, hefting the duel disk for clarification, "Isn't just some small piece. If something like this ever got into the wrong hands or into some other muggle device, our whole world could be undone by just one small piece of your world!"

"I promise you're reading too much into it," Yugi said with a hint of a chuckle in his voice, "It's like Ryou said, it's Kaiba. I doubt there are very many wizarding CEO's of multi-million dollar high tech gaming corporations out there, much less ones half as stubborn as he is."

"This thing is still-"

"Not dangerous. It's little more than a toy," Yugi insisted, ignoring the twitch that came from Kaiba's direction, "You should come watch us, let us show you what it can do, and then you can make your decision about taking it to the Headmaster. Think of it as a learning experience. After all, how often do you get to look at _working_ muggle technology here anyway?"

The determined look on her face softened ever so slightly as she looked at the shorter duelist, and a relenting sigh escaped her lips. She gave one more look at the duel disk in her arms, though this time without quite as much distaste for the device in her eyes as there had been, then handed it over to Yugi. There was an audible sigh of relief from both Malik and Ryou, as well from their respective yamis. He couldn't blame them. Dueling was their pastime, the one thing they would always know by heart, no matter how the game changed. So it wasn't a big surprise when they were ready to strangle Hermione for taking back the one thing that struck at the center of their being.

"I certainly hope for your sake," Hermione poked Yugi in the chest, but with none of the authority behind it, "that thing isn't dangerous. You're already in deep with Umbridge; I'd hate to see any of you end up worse off because of this…."

Yugi tried to keep his face serious, but the he could feel the smile still well up on his face no matter how many times he tried to force it back down. He looked down at the disk in his hands, fingers welcoming the familiar feel of the metal. A pulse came from his deck in response, but ebbed away as Malik and Ryou took the device away from him and back to the table. He made a silent promise to the waiting cards that they'd get their turn soon enough, and went to gather around while the others decided on who'd get the first duel.

----

Yugi hardly remembered detention with Umbridge. He'd drawn the lot to duel first with Kaiba, and with the promise of an exciting duel after such a long time had returned Yami back to his normal self. The flashes were forcibly removed to the back of their minds, as was Yugi's conversation with Bakura. He was almost certain he had a grin on his face the whole night, given the looks he kept getting from the toad-ish professor.

Not that he could help it. Even if he could have reigned in his own jubilation, there was no possible way to have brought the Pharaoh's into check, especially with he and Bakura once again issuing death threats back and forth to each other over who would win their upcoming matches. In fact, he found himself enjoying it, perhaps not the nature of the arguments, but the fact that the old spark had come back to brighten his other half's dark crimson eyes again was something he would have tolerated a lot more to see.

Harry kept giving them odd glances in between his peeks out the window to the Quiditch pitch and for once Yugi was actually glad Umbridge provided a reason for him to not have to explain. They'd made Hermione swear to secrecy to not say a word about the duel disk until their matches tomorrow. Not just because of the obvious reason of the wizards being suspicious of a student with no prior magical talent getting through a myriad of spells and enchantments during his first week in school to get muggle technology working, but there were still a generous number of fans of duel monsters within the wizarding community and a large audience was not an appealing thought.

Even with such a wonderful thing to look forward to, detention seemed to drag on forever, and Yugi suspected it was an intentional ploy by their jailer. In any case, it was long enough for Bakura's death threats to turn from Yami's life to hers and all involved managed to get an insightful look into the Thief King's "eloquent" vocabulary before the night was over. At last she called Harry over to her desk, which signaled the end of their torture. Yugi and Ryou stopped in their cleaning to put away their supplies, when a sudden wave of magic seemed to lash out at them. Their own defenses reacted immediately, but not quite fast enough to spare them from the malicious intent that the sudden burst seemed to carry. Then, just as quickly as it had come on; it vanished. Yugi and Ryou exchanged a quick glance at each other, after seeing that neither Harry nor Umbridge seemed to be affected, although the air in the room seemed to be far heavier than it had before. The three of them wasted no time in bolting for the door, their strides a bit quicker despite the long hours in an effort to put as much distance between them and that cursed office.

(_Anyone know what that was all about?)_ Ryou asked.

_//Must have been some new magic we're not used to yet.// _Yami tried to reason, _//It wasn't very strong whatever it was.//_

_((Strong enough for the Items to react,)) _Bakura pointed out.

_//I know, but it wasn't aimed or even well controlled. It more or less ricocheted off of our defenses and vanished. I think it's safe enough to assume it was just residual from another spell or something.//_

_/Makes sense to me./_ Yugi shrugged, _/Though just to be safe, why don't we, ya know, maybe stay away from her office in the future? So we don't have to find out?/_

A mumbled agreement came though the link, weary but certainly with more than enough conviction behind it.

"Jeez….." Harry groaned, stretching out his stiff limbs after sitting in one place for so long, "Think she could have had us in there any longer?"

"Do you really need an answer to that question?" Yugi asked, though in a surprisingly good mood.

_((Personally I feel that the Toad may be on to something,))_ Bakura pointed out in a less than flattering manner, _((I mean I almost could have traded tonight for another millennia in the Shadow Realm. I wonder if the Keeper would be interested in wagering a night's detention with her as the stakes for a Shadow Game….)) _

_//Are you out of your mind Thief?!// _Yami shot back at him, _//We're treading on dangerous ground as it is. I doubt too many people are going to be thrilled at seeing giant monsters that are supposed to be a figment of their imaginations springing to life before their eyes, and you want to make them _real_ with a Shadow Game?//_

_((Ra….You really have no spine do you Pharaoh?))_

_//Not when I can use yours to beat you with on an regular basis.//_

Yugi perked up an eyebrow, when Yami quickly cut their link as Bakura launched into a full-blown tirade. Apparently, the Thief had a deeper vocabulary than he'd first thought. He returned Ryou's exasperated sigh with a grin, just happy to be finally free of Umbridge's grasp. Still… That second back in Umbridge's room, it still hung in the air like an unspoken plague. Yugi knew Yami and Bakura had to have felt it, but for whatever reason they were acting as if it had never happened in the first place. He was just about to say something to his darker half about it, when the Fat Lady portrait swung open in front of them, barraging the three weary teens with a roar excitement and jubilation.

Ron spied them through the crowd of partying Gryffindors and came rushing up to them, slopping a good deal of his drink down the front of his robes in the process. He didn't seemed too bothered by it however, as he greeted them with a beaming smile.

"Harry, I did it, I'm in, I'm Keeper!" He shouted above the noise of the rest of the room.

It wasn't lost on Yugi that the news seemed to take a bit longer than it should have to register with Harry, but Ron didn't seem to notice as he shoved a couple of Butterbeers into their hands and drug them into the heart of the festivities. It was only a second before they were swallowed up and separated from one another, forced to mill about the room as the crowd would allow. Somehow, Yugi had the luck of ending up next to a crowd of giggling third-year girls who all seemed to have an utter fascination with his hair.

It was an entire lifetime before Yugi felt he was able to escape and stagger back towards the beckoning armchairs waiting for him around the fire. He threw himself into one, savoring the feeling of the chair's stuffing absorb the impact on his aching body. It seemed to be marginally quieter near the fireplace, and it at least gave him the luxury of being able to think again. Yugi still couldn't see Ryou, or hear any of the tell-tale signs of Bakura, so he assumed his friend had perhaps found another way out of the rabble and up to bed. His body was longing for a similar prospect, but his mind wasn't quite ready to let him doze off just yet despite how hard it was to put together any coherent thought.

Absentmindedly, Yugi reached for his belt and opened the clasp that kept the cards there secure in their holder. A small smile came to his face as he pulled his deck free, and began to flip through the cards one by one. It seemed like it had been forever since he'd used them last, or even held them for that matter, and it felt like the cards themselves shared the same sentiment. On impulse, he began to take each card and lay them out on them out on the table in front of him, if only just to reacquaint himself with them.

"Mind if I join you? Harry's gone off to bed and Ron's the man of the hour," Hermione's tired voice said next to him, shaking him from his own world, "You have quite a collection."

"Not at all and my Grandpa owns a store back home," Yugi said, before a small pang struck him, "Well… owned anyway."

Yugi's face fell slightly at the unwelcomed memory, and a twinge of homesickness crept into his thoughts for the first time since he'd fled Domino. Not that he really had a home to go back to anymore. He was glad his grandpa was in good hands with the Hawkins's, but that did nothing to lessen the ache that settled in the pit of his stomach. Hermione must have picked up on his mood, and quickly changed the subject before he was able to let the feeling take hold.

"So this game of yours," She said, tilting her head to get a better look at the cards spread out on the table, "How is it played? I mean, the pictures on the cards don't even move. Not that I think I'd want some of them to, but still…"

"You're going to be in for a shock tomorrow then," Yugi chuckled, laying out the last few cards in his hand, "It's simple enough to start. Each player starts out with 4000 life points and take turns summoning monsters to try and whittle their opponent's points down to zero. First one to have their opponent reach zero wins."

Hermione watched him without another question, until he placed the blank faced card that once housed his Celtic Guardian onto the table. Tilting her head to get a better look, she leaned in slightly then reached for the odd card, before recalling Malfoy's treatment at touching one of Kaiba's cards.

"It's alright," Yugi said, sensing her apprehension, "I won't break your arm like Kaiba."

Gingerly, she reached back out and lifted the card off the table, turning it over in her hands a few times. Sure enough, unlike the rest of the cards on the table, there was only a blank white face staring up at her.

"Why is this one blank?" She asked, looking back up at Yugi.

Yugi's gaze fixed on the card in her hand, an unblinking stare that carried past the thin paper. For a moment, she thought she was going to get an answer out of him, before he suddenly turned and gathered the cards lying out on the table and snatched back the one she was holding.

"I'm sorry Hermione," He apologized quickly, gathering up his things, "It's a long story and I'm really tired. Maybe some other time?"

For being as small as he was, Hermione didn't think it was possible for Yugi to move so fast. By the time she'd even had a chance to register what had happened, he was already up and gone without any indication, save for a warm chair, that he'd even been there in the first place. She let out a deep sigh for the second time that night, as she watched him hurry off to the dormitory, but not before glancing down at the blank card and tucking it into a pocket in his jacket.

------

_//That may not have been the best move Aibou.// _Yami's vice drifted into his head, as Yugi flopped backwards onto his bed, _//She'll be more curious now than ever about what happened-//_

_/I couldn't talk about it tonight Yami,/ _Yugi said shortly, _/It's been a long day and tomorrow's gonna be a long day too. I didn't need to bring all that back up. Besides, the less she knows, the safer we'll be./_

A shocked look crossed the incorporeal king's face for a moment, as he materialized next to his younger charge. He felt a pang of guilt at not realizing just how much of a toll their situation was taking on his lighter half. He rested a ghostly hand on Yugi's shoulder, and tried to think of something to say.

_//Aibou I didn't mean-//_

Yami stopped midsentence, as Yugi's body began to quake with silent sobs. Normally bright amethyst eyes looked up at him with a misty bloodshot hue as tears began to gather. But the look on his hikari's face was anything but sorrow, instead, it was a mix of frustration and regret that had a hold of him now.

_/I should have been able to stop them,/ _Yugi managed to get out, _/If I'd had been more careful, maybe we would have seen them coming. Maybe he wouldn't have had to-/_

_//Yugi, it wasn't your fault what happened-//_

_/It's not just that. Your dreams, and now Bakura too? We're no closer to any answers than we were when they started, and now they're getting worse. How long do you think it's gonna be before someone realizes we're having a damn seizure in the middle of class and figures out it's because of the Items? I mean, look at how fast Hermione was ready to ship Kaiba's duel disk out and that's not even dangerous! What would happen if they found out what the Items could do? Everything's just happening at once and I don't know what to do!/_

Yugi sat up in the bed and let his head fall onto his knees. It wasn't the first time they'd confronted such problems, but never all at once, or in such an unfamiliar place so far away from home. Every secret they had worked for so long to protect now seemed on the verge of being revealed to the world, even before they themselves knew what it was they were protecting.

_/It's just a lot to deal with all at the same time, you know?/ _Yugi sighed, his voice a little steadier than before, /_And just being constantly reminded of what could happen if we make a mistake, while at the same time trying to keep up this illusion that we're just a couple of ordinary kids./_

_//I understand.// _Yami nodded slowly, _//And you're right, it is a lot at once. But you're leaving out one big advantage we still do have.//_

_/Oh yeah?/ _Yugi perked up a little, /W_hat's that?/_

_//You don't have to bear all of that alone,// _The Pharaoh said, _//And it's something I think we've both forgotten. I've tried to keep my worries from you, and you've been keeping yours from me. And if the truth be told, neither of us are doing a very good job at it.//_

_/No, we're not are we?/ _Yugi grinned, through the fatigue, /_All this new stuff at once has us kinda off our game huh?/_

_//Yes. And I think if we want any chance of beating Kaiba tomorrow, we're going to have to be better about that.//_

_/It's all about the game huh?/ _Yugi jabbed at his darker half playfully.

//_In the end Aibou, that's all life really is. Now go to sleep, it's your worrying now that's giving _me_ the headache.//_

_/Too bad you're still sharing _my_ head,/ _Yugi managed to joke back, before sleep finally overcame him.

_----------_

For the first time in a long time, sleep came easy for Yugi. No nightmares, no feelings of dread and foreboding. Just a blanket of peace that seemed to settle over him for the night, that let him wake up feeling like he'd actually slept for the first time in weeks. He felt like himself again. The sun was just barely starting to creep over the horizon, tinting the bleary grey sky the faintest shade of pink. Ryou's bed was already empty, and Yugi's was soon to follow as he pulled his shirt and belt off of the nightstand next to him. A warm sensation spread across his hand and up his arm as he slipped his deck into its rightful place at his hip. He didn't break his stride grabbing his jacket from the bedpost on his way out the door.

The air outside was still cool and damp from the evening, but Yugi didn't find it hard to stay warm as he sprinted across the dew-kissed grass of the grounds. A thin curtain of fog was still draped across the air, but that didn't keep him from being able to make out four figures milling about on the far side of the school boundaries. With the lake on one side of them and the edge of the forbidden forest on the other, there wasn't any immediate chance of them being spotted. He wondered how Kaiba had managed the time to find such a perfect place for them, but then again, it was Kaiba so it was just one of those things he'd learned to not worry about.

"About time you woke up sleepyhead!" Malik shouted from across the field, "We've been waiting for you."

"Yeah, well..." Yugi shrugged, "It's called sleep. Try it sometime, it's nice."

"You can sleep after I beat you," Kaiba growled, shoving a duel disk into his arms, "Sleeping almost made you forfeit the match."

Yugi smirked as he felt the Puzzle's magic pulse once as the Pharaoh took over his body while he faded to an incorporeal spirit. The switch felt natural now after so many years, and came much smoother it seemed than the very beginning when he would black out for hours at a time while the Pharaoh was in control. The result was a seamless transition that even escaped the perceptive young witch that was anxiously waiting with his friends.

"Can we get this over with before the whole school wakes up and sees this?" Hermione asked, looking around as if someone could have followed them.

"Let 'em watch," Malik grinned, "It'll be the most exciting thing to happen to this place."

"I seriously doubt that," Hermione said, rolling her eyes.

"Trust me," Malik chuckled, turning his attention to the two taking the field, "These two are the reason the ancients wrote their myths."

Hermione gave Malik an odd look, but never had the chance to ask him what he meant, before a metallic click drew her attention back to the field.

Yami wasted no time in securing the disk on his arm, relishing in the familiar weight as he shuffled his deck and pressed it into its holster with a practiced hand. Across the field, Kaiba was doing the same, and both lifted their arms in a single synchronized movement and fired the projectors to their respective places. The computerized chime filled the still air and swept the low-lying fog away as the miniature hologram projectors went to work.

A smile curled on Yami's face as he spared a glance at his hikari materializing next to him, before focusing his full attention on his opponent across the playing field.

"Let's duel."

-------

Gotc: Ok, college officially sucks (enter your noun of choice here).

Ace: I'm impressed. I had you down for a year before you'd post again.

Gotc: Oh ha ha. Anyway, to make it up to you all for my disturbing lack of postingness (This is officially a word now) why don't you all head over to the next chappie and we'll continue this there!


	27. When Titans Clash

Gotc: Bear with me here folks, it's been several years since I wrote out a duel and I wasn't particularly pleased with that one either and it's part of the reason it's been so long for this chapter to get out. Anyway, keep going. Refer to the whale and all that.

Squeaky: Squeak! (Since Gotc seems to think you all have suffered short-term memory loss: Gotc does not own YGO, Harry Potter, or any of its affiliates. Go get your suing elsewhere lawyers.)

Gotc: So go keep reading.

_Harry Potter and the Order of the Rising Dragon_

CHAPTER 26: When Titians Clash

It was a different kind of magic when a duel began. They all started the same way, no matter how many times you played. 10 cards, two duelists, and an unlimited number of possibilities. But from those first ten cards, no duel ever played out the same way.

"I'll start by summoning my Queen's Knight in attack mode!" Yami called out, pulling a card from his deck and laying down the one he had selected in a fluid practiced move, "Then I'll place one card down and end my turn."

He barely managed to get the words out of his mouth before a tingle ran down the length of his arm. The holograms had yet to make their appearance on the field, though the feeling still persisted and seemed to be getting worse. Then it hit, a sudden drain that made the world spin dangerously, and had the sky not still been above him he would have thought they were in the Shadow Realm. His vision blurred a moment and he thought he might pass out, before the feeling subsided, and there stood his faithful monster, ready for a fight.

"I guess I should have warned you," Kaiba's voice drifted into his still unsteady world, "I couldn't get the projectors to run mechanically from their original power source and since I didn't have the time to re-work a new one, they'll pull magic from you to function."

"Wonder where he got that idea," Yami heard Bakura chuckle from the sidelines.

"No kidding Kaiba," Malik agreed, "For someone who didn't believe in magic until a month ago, you sure seem to be adapting well."

"Trust me," Kaiba scoffed, pulling his card, "I'm getting a CAT scan as soon as I get home. I play Pot of Greed, then place one card face down and one in defense mode. Now let's see if I can't take that title from you."

"You're more than welcome to try," Yami challenged him, setting his next cards down, "I summon King's knight in attack mode, and since I have both King's and Queen's knight on the field I can summon Jack's Knight straight from my deck. Now, Jack's Knight, destroy his monster!"

A chuckle came from across the field even as Yami's monster rushed to annihilate Kaiba's monster. Just as the knight's blade was about to slice through the card, a thick pink smoke billowed from it, engulfing both the card and his Jack's Knight.

"Sorry Yugi," Came the confident chuckle, "but you've just attacked my Ancient Lamp, and when it's flipped, I can redirect your attack to any monster I choose." Kaiba smirked, "Like your Queen's knight for example."

As if on que, his knight reemerged from the fog, only this time headed straight for his Queen's Knight. She put up a feeble attempt to defend herself against the onslaught, but the sword of his Jack's Knight quickly cut through her defenses and reduced her to little more than a fine dust.

"Oh by the way," Kaiba called, "Since my Ancient Lamp is now face up, I can summon my La Jin, the Mystical Genie of the Lamp to the field as well. And I think I'll have it get rid of your King's Knight as well."

Another hollow scream came from his Yami's field, as the genie's fist obliterated his second knight, and a respectable chunk of his life points. He grit his teeth, partly from irritation with himself at being so careless, and partly from the thrill that welled up in his chest and ran through him to the tips of his fingers. Yes, he'd lost life points, but Ra, he'd missed this kind of challenge.

"Do I detect some worry?"

"Not by a long shot, Kaiba," Yami nodded, quickly recovering, "You'll have to do better if you want to beat me. So I'll summon my Gamma, the Magnet Warrior to the field, and then play my face down card: Exile of the Wicked. It destroys any and all Fiend type monsters, and if I'm not mistaken, your La Jin falls under that category."

It only took a second more for the former genie to suddenly explode in a shower of sparks, causing Kaiba to shield his face from the particles that shot past him. He wasn't the only one that had to shield himself from the gust that accompanied the monster's destruction. Malik, Bakura and Hermione all had to cover their face from the fine dust before it dissipated into the air.

-----

"Kaiba's certainly made it interesting," Bakura grinned maliciously.

"Care to make it even more interesting?" Malik perked up an eye brow.

"This isn't enough?!" Hermione gaped at the field, "I mean the wizarding world has nothing like this! Even wizard's chess doesn't come close!"

"You're amazed by this?" Malik asked a little skeptically.

"Think we should tell her?" Bakura chuckled

"Tell me what?" She asked, her eyes darting back and forth between the two.

"They've only just been testing each other's defenses," Bakura nodded towards the field, turning his attention back to the two duelists, "The real game's about to start."

-----

Yami laughed a little to himself as he caught a glimpse of Hermione's face. Of course, he must have looked the exact same way the day he first saw the monsters on his cards seemingly spring to life in front of him.

_/Think she's still going to take the disks?/ _Yugi asked, following his Yami's train of thought.

_//Not after this she won't.//_

"Alright Kaiba," Yami said, "I think it's time I do some damage of my own! Gamma! Attack his Lamp!"

It took only a heartbeat for the sound of screeching metal to eliminate the last obstacle between Yami and Kaiba's life points.

"Now, Jack's Knight, direct attack!"

Kaiba braced himself at the last second, the force of the attack pushing him backwards and nearly toppling his balance. The CEO recovered quickly, but breathing noticeably harder than he had before. It didn't surprise the Pharaoh much; after all, it only made sense that this game in particular would be more real than the majority of their other duels. But while he'd landed a solid attack, Kaiba certainly seemed to be ready for more.

"If that's all you've got for me Yugi," Kaiba scoffed, getting himself back under control, "Then I think I'll show you how this game is suppose to be played. I discard a Thunder Dragon from my hand, to draw two more from my deck. Next I'll summon my Lord of Dragons and equip him with the Flute of Summoning Dragon to summon those two Thunder Dragons to the field as well!"

The humanoid appeared without delay, shortly followed by the draconic instrument. When he seized it and pressed the flute to his lips, the sound rang out loud and clear, causing Yami to cringe a little. Especially because the horn sounded several times before the effect seemed to kick in. And there was more emphasis on the loud than anything. Even the trees of the forest next to them seemed to rustle and move, as if they'd been stirred by the sound. No doubt someone back at the castle would have heard that, but there was nothing he could do about it now. Besides, he now had two very angry dragons staring him down and looking like they wanted nothing more than to rip him and his monsters apart.

"I'm sure you can guess what comes next, eh Yugi?"

"Vaugely," He replied, trying to ignore a strange feeling starting to work its way up the back of his neck, "Only I hope you've got a back-up plan considering your monsters still don't have enough attack strength to do any damage."

"Unfortunately for you, I do," Kaiba smirked, "So I'll play my face down, Polymerization and fuse my two dragons together and summon Twin-Headed Thunder Dragon!"

Despite the sky's now bright blue color, it grew dark and cloudy again for a brief second as the two dragons rushed into the cloud cover, allowing the new dragon to descend in a storm of lightning and a thunderous roar from both of its mouths. Yami's hand tightened around his cards, knowing full well neither of his monsters would be able to withstand an attack from that thing. One card did catch his eye, sparking an idea but he'd need a little help before he could carry it out…..

-----

"His Highness dodged a bullet there," Bakura scoffed from the sidelines, "That dragon of Kaiba's won't be able to attack until next round."

"That doesn't mean he's out of the clear yet," Malik pointed out, "Yugi still needs to get rid of it if he wants any chance of getting to Kaiba's life points again."

"Hold on a second," Hermione said, looking away from the match, "Did you just call Yugi 'His Highness'?"

"His title in the dueling world is the 'King of Games'," Malik said quickly and surreptitiously casting a glare in Bakura's direction, "It's just kind of a nickname really….."

Malik stiffened for a moment, hearing the leaves rustle from behind him. Bakura seemed to hear it too, and he felt the slight shift in magic as the Ring quietly came to life. The Tomb Keeper quietly slid his hand into his robes and closed his hand around the Millennium Rod, easing its hidden blade into a ready position as the noise grew louder

"Hermione….," Bakura whispered, "Any idea what's in the trees there?"

"It's the Forbidden Forrest," She said quietly simply, as the rustle grew louder then suddenly stopped, "We don't really know all what's in there to be honest."

"Anything ever come out?"

"Not into the open."

"Then I suggest a few more steps out into it," Malik suggested a little warily.

_((Worried we can't handle it?)) _Bakura asked, one eye turning halfway towards the Egyptian.

_[Of course not, but I don't know how well the girl will deal with having the last several hours of her memory erased.]_

_((From what I heard, the wizards do it to each other all the time.))_

_[A trip to the Shadow Realm is not the same as a spell.]_

_((Not like she'll be able to tell if she doesn't remember it.))_

Malik cast another wary glance over his shoulder, quick enough to be missed by the young witch who had gone back to the duel. The noise had stopped or been lost in the noise of the match, but the feeling something was watching them did not lessen with it.

_((Sense anything?)) _

_[No. _That's_ what worries me.] _Malik sighed, keeping one eye behind him as Yami took his turn. _[Should we warn them?]_

_((Not now. Besides, the Pharaoh's too deep in this now to hear us anyway.))_

_-----_

Yami pulled his card, suppressing the grin that threatened to creep across his face. His old friend was strong, though not enough to beat Kaiba's dragon. Not on his own anyway.

"I sacrifice Jack's Knight and Gamma to summon the Dark Magician in defense mode," He called out, watching the purple clad sorcerer appear. He stopped a moment, catching the small smirk that flitted across the magician's face, before he took a defending stance in front of his master.

_/I think he missed you./ _ Yugi commented

_//I think I did too Aibou.//_

"Kaiba, I'll place one card face down and end my turn." Yami said simply before looking up.

"Hmph. Good to see you've kept that magician around." Kaiba scoffed drawing his card, "Too bad he won't be staying longer. Twin-Headed Thunder Dragon! Destroy his Dark Magician!"

The dragon wasted no time, opening his jaws and aiming the building electricity straight at Yami's magician. But neither monster nor master flinched, as Yami finally allowed the grin to appear across his face.

"I'm afraid my magician's going to be around longer than you think. I play my spell card, De-Fusion! Which means your Twin-Headed Thunder Dragon's attack is negated, and your two Thunder  
Dragons are re-summoned to the field."

"Clever," Kaiba said with a dismissive scoff, "I'll place one card face down and end my turn."

Yami narrowed his crimson eyes at his rival. Kaiba never gave away much in the way of body language, either good or bad. The que's he'd learned to identify with other duelists simply didn't apply to the blue-eyed titan across the field from him now. Still, Kaiba was now facing a challenge from the Dark Magician and wasn't even batting an eye. Which probably meant Yami would soon be the one on the defensive.

_/Not a lot we can do about that though,/ _Yugi mused glancing over their cards.

_//Nothing except end this before he has a chance to recover.// _ Yami pointed out as he drew his card.

_/Maybe…./_

Yami paused in his draw a moment to look at his distracted lighter half. The familiar edge of excitement ebbed away to be replaced by the prickle along the back of his neck and an unwavering sensation in the pit of his stomach. Yugi could feel it too.

_/I can't quite place it…/ _Yugi muttered looking around him for the source.

_//It's like you've forgotten something important.// _Yami sighed, _//And the world is watching you for that moment when you remember exactly what it is.//_

There was a silent pause between yami and hikari, however short-lived as they earned an impatient glare from Kaiba.

_/We should probably…/_

"I play Pot of Greed from my hand," Yami said, trying to rally his thoughts again. The first was nothing helpful, but the second sent a jolt of electricity through his arm the moment the card touched his fingers. The crimson form that curled across the card was nothing short of a welcome sight, as he slid it into his hand. "And attack your Lord of Dragons with my Dark Magician!"

"Not before I play my Shrink magic card," Kaiba declared, quickly flipping the face-down, "It cuts your Magician's points on half, which means it's still strong enough to destroy my monster, but I'll only lose 50 life points n the process."

"_No wonder he wasn't worried." _Yami growled to himself, as the attack hit home but with none of the intensity it should have held.

"I think since you got to play your favorite monster, Yugi…" Kaiba chuckled, before the smoke of the attack had time to dissipate, "It's only fair that mine get to join in all of this fun…White Lightning Attack!"

Yami barely had enough time to throw his arms in front of his face as the jagged rush of energy tore through the veil of smoke and dust to hit his magician hard. There was a second where he heard the cry of his favorite monster, before it was lost to the overwhelming display of power now breathing down his neck. When he was able to look up again, the only thing he was able to see was the glint of the morning sun as it reflected off of the brilliant silver scales of the dragon issuing its arrival to the world.

Yami winced as his life points counter leveled out at 2800 points, but with no monsters on the field that meant he was only on attack away from losing the duel. Unless he could stop Kaiba from attacking.

"I play Swords of Revealing Light!" Yami called out as the luminescent blades fell from the skies to trap the white dragon.

"Feeling nostalgic Yugi?" Kaiba grinned, "If I recall I forced you into a similar situation in our first duel."

"And if I recall," Yami snapped back, "I was the one who won that day. And I plan to again. I summon my Stone Soldier in defense mode and end my turn."

"And yet here I have you on the defensive again," Came the smug reply, "You're supposed to learn from the past, Yugi. So I draw. Now let's see what you've learned."

_/He's toying with us./_

_//He did back then too.//_

"I play Berfomet in defense mode, and then add Gazelle the King of Mythical Beasts to my hand." Yami said finding the right card from his deck as Kaiba shook his head almost mockingly.

"It doesn't look like you're going to last very much longer does it Yugi?" The brunette taunted, while he pulled another card, "Not if this is the best you can do against my Blue Eyes."

"You never one for the big picture, were you Kaiba?" Yami countered, shutting out the truth behind Kaiba's taunts, "I summon Feral Imp in defense mode."

"You have a god in your hand.'' He said narrowing his eyes, but the sneer across his face refused to leave.

"You'll just have to find out."

"If you insist."

The former king didn't have time to ask what Kaiba had meant before a hurricane force wind tore through the playing field, almost knocking him off of his feet. Across the field, Blue Eyes lifted its head to the heavens and let out a dismayed bellow as the wind swept it off the field and into oblivion.

"What did you just do?!" Yami demanded, utterly nonplussed that the white dragon had just been willingly obliterated by its master.

"The Card of Sanctity requires that all card from the my side of the field and my hand be removed from play," Kaiba explained calmly, gathering his cards and sliding them into the disk, "and in exchange I can draw two new cards from my deck. And these are just what I needed."

----

Hermione stood at the edge of the field trying to follow the duel that moved faster than any game of Quiditch she'd ever witnessed. She would have been inclined to believe that the entire thing so far had been choreographed down to the last detail, had she not saw the two shuffle their decks before the chaos had begun.

From what she could tell, the scores were all but tied, a difference of a only a couple points separating Yugi from Kaiba but neither seemed to have been able to gain the upper hand over the other. Malik and Ryou certainly hadn't been joking when they'd said they'd only been getting warmed up. Things had only gotten progressively worse with each passing turn. Every attack more and more savage, and every play only a small part of a bigger strategy that she couldn't even begin to imagine. Even now, this lull in the action was only a respite on the surface. The tension had only risen to a palpable level that hung heavy in the air. The only thing she could relate it to was the lingering magic in the air after Harry had cast his patronus in their third year. Only this was anything but lingering.

Yet despite the severity of this game, Ryou and Bakura were still practically biting at the bit for their turn to pound on each other. All four seemed different, but this felt….well natural in a way, this strange game bringing out people she'd never met before in her friends.

"He's in trouble now." Bakura's scoff bringing Hermione out of her thoughts.

"Who? Yugi?" She said confused, "He's got the most points and the most monsters on the field, especially since Seto wiped his field clean with that sanctity thing."

"The thing about this game Hermione," Malik chuckled, "Everything can change with the draw of a single card. That dragon was Kaiba's favorite monster. There's no way on Earth he would have destroyed it himself if it meant he didn't have something even stronger waiting in the wings."

"Stronger?" Every monster she'd seen so far had only gotten bigger and more vicious than the last, that white dragon tipping the scale so far. "There's ones stronger than that?!"

"Yep. And I think you're about to meet them."

----

"This game's over Yugi," Kaiba smirked as he slapped his card onto the field, "I play Dimension Fusion! By sacrificing 2000 of my life points both of us are allowed to special summon every monster we've removed from play. But since you haven't removed any of your monsters, I guess that just leaves me. And since I had my Blue Eyes on the field when it was removed from play, I think I'd like to welcome it back, with a few additions that is."

Yami felt his stomach sink when he heard the all-too familiar roar ripple once again across the field, only this time echoed by two more of its brothers. One was hard enough to deal with, three had taken Exodia, and if he had Kaiba figured correctly, what was coming next might even stand up to the god in his hand.

"I may only have 50 life points left thanks to my Dimension Fusion, but since it wasn't the only card I drew, I think it will be worth it. So I'll play polymerization from my hand, and summon my Blue Eyes Ultimate Dragon!"

_//Damnit.//_

_-----_

"Hold on a second," Hermione managed, staring up at the massive three headed behemoth now stretching its newly formed wings and lunging at the defensive monsters on Yugi's side through the fading swords trapping it, "I thought Kaiba already played that polymerization card."

"He did," Malik nodded, "But you can have up to three copies of the same card on your deck and it would be stupid to have more than one fusion monster in your deck and only one card to fuse them."

"Yugi's in trouble now," Bakura pointed out, "Even if he does manage to summon a god, that dragon has 4900 attack points. He's going to need a miracle to stop it-"

"Uh oh."

"Why is it every time you say that things get worse?" Hermione asked with an exasperated sigh.

"Because I think someone finally noticed us out here."

-----

_/Any ideas?/ _Yugi asked, staring at the dragon ready to rip them apart.

_//One. But it'll be close, especially since Slifer's going to need all the power he can get.//_

"Well come on Yugi," Kaiba mocked, "Let's see your god…."

"Fine Kaiba," Yami growled, "If you're so eager to lose, far be it for me to stand in your way! I sacrifice all three of my monsters on the field to summon Slifer, The Sky Dragon!"

Yami had no sooner placed the card on the duel disk when he heard Bakura's voice shout something from the sidelines. He turned to try and hear him better, but any hope of that was quickly drown out by a noise akin to the heavens ripping open with a thousand thunderstorms as the giant crimson dragon descended from the heavens to the field. It's massive bulk overflowed the field and wrapped around them in undulating coils that never seemed to stop moving. And now that the swords keeping Kaiba's dragon at bay were gone, both dragons now sized each other up in preparation for an all-out war.

Yami raised a hand to order an attack, but that was all the further he managed to get before a new, and entirely unwelcome voice grated against his ears.

"_**STOP THIS VERY INSTANT!!!"**_

"I tried to say the Toad Brigade had found us," Bakura sighed walking up next to Yami, as Umbridge and a full host of other teachers came charging out to their dueling grounds.

As the teachers got a little closer, most had more than a little apprehension of going anywhere near the two very _real_ looking dragons that seemed to have suddenly appeared out of nowhere and were about to tear each other apart. Umbridge even hesitated when the great crimson beast swiveled an eye to see who it was that had delayed its attack. She seemed very small for a moment, her short stubby wand shaking in her hands, despite the contingent of teachers behind her. Dragons in the wizarding world were dangerous, violent beasts that killed without a second thought. They answered to no one, yet here were two of the most ferocious things she'd ever seen, waiting on the beck and call of two _children?_

"_**What. Is. Going. On. Here?" **_She managed to half stammer, half snarl.

"Professor Umbridge!" Hermione called out, "I can explain! It's just a-"

"Ms. Granger?" Professor McGonagall exclaimed, "What on Earth are you doing out here in the middle of this?!"

Hermione's face turned a shade of red and she turned her gaze to the ground in embarrassment. Bakura saw and his hackles went up. He'd had more than enough of the backwards way things were done here, magic or not.

"She wanted to watch a game!" He growled, an inch from letting the Shadows talk for him, "Last I checked, that wasn't something that warranted the entire calvary come charging out!"

"Watch yourself Mr. Bakura," Umbridge warned sternly, "You and your little friends are already looking at expulsion from this school and an inquiry from the Ministry of Magic-"

"Oh knock it off already, will you?"

A rustle came from the trees of the forest, before Professor Cooper dropped to the ground like a ripe fruit. Whatever color Hermione had turned, Umbridge took it to a whole new level as the muggle professor came striding out the trees with his jacket slung over one shoulder. He passed by the dragons with hardly a second glance, stopping several yards away from his fellow Dark Arts teacher.

"Do you have any idea how long it's been since I've seen a good duel like this, and then you come in at the climax of it and ruin everything?" He said, plainly irritated with the current series of events, "It's not every day you see the King of Games duel you know."

"Did you just come out of the Forbidden Forest?!" McGonagall exclaimed at the Ace's sudden appearance.

"Yeah, why?"

"Didn't the Headmaster tell you how dangerous it is in there and not to go near it?!"

"A lot of people tell me not to do a lot of things," Ace shrugged , "I tend to tune it out."

"You duel professor?" Malik asked, still focused on the professor's earlier comment.

"Used to," Ace clarified, looking back over his shoulder at the Egyptian, "Haven't in a long time though. Doesn't mean I don't enjoy watching a good –"

"EXCUSE ME! These children have committed a serious crime!" Umbridge shrieked, her face now red enough to warrant an aneurism, "Any summoning by magical means-"

"Oh shut up already," Ace scoffed, waving his hand towards the field, "There's no crime here. It's a _game._ Played with cards, brought to 'life' by holographic projectors. It's little more than a real-life 3-d move."

To illustrate his point, Ace picked up a small rock and lobbed it straight at Slifer's hide. It sailed cleanly through, causing only the slightest of distortion in the god's image as it passed through. It was minute, but enough to prove his point and put some of the other teachers at ease. Umbridge was beside herself, but her reaction was lost as the teachers moved in to get a better look at the dragons themselves.

"Truly remarkable!" Professor Flitwick said, leaning over one of the projectors to examine it, "How in Merlin's bread did you get such a thing to work here? I though the castle disrupted any kind of muggle technology."

"It does," McGonagall said, now with an edge of weariness as the initial adrenaline began to wear off, "Which is why we'll need to inspect those….whatever they are before we can allow this sort of thing to continue."

"Over my dead body," Kaiba growled in unison with his own dragon. The combination was more than a little intimidating and hologram or not, caused those assembled to take a step back. "Do you have any idea how many of my competitors would love to get their hands on my design for the duel disks?"

"I don't think they're asking Kaiba," Yami sighed.

"Please Seto," Hermione said, finding her voice again, "They did the same thing to Harry's broom a few years ago and he got it back a few weeks later-"

"Oh like hell I'm waiting another couple of weeks for my turn!" Malik erupted in protest.

_((Drop it Keeper,)) _ Bakura said evenly, _((I'll beat you soon enough, but I don't think the Toad's in a mood to argue about this and we're not in a position to challenge her. Yet.))_

_[So you're going to roll over then?]_

_((For now.))_

"We can either take them, or ask you to leave the school," McGonagall said plainly, "It's from the muggle world and still works within the castle grounds, then we have to assume that there's dangerous enchantments that have been placed on them."

"Guilty until proven innocent," Kaiba grumbled, tapping a button on the underside and releasing the device from his arm.

Yami followed suit and did the same, pulling his deck from its slot and watching as the two dragons faded into nothing. He was about to tuck the cards into his pocket when Umbridge's ringed hand appeared in his field of vision.

"Those too Mr. Motou."

"Sorry?"

"Those cards," Umbridge said slower, pointing at the deck in his hand and a satisfied smirk starting to crawl across her face, "We'll be needing those too."

"Why?" Ace cut in, an eyebrow raised in obvious amusement, "Afraid of playing cards?"

Umbridge stopped and turned around to face her colleague, a phony look of pity on her face as she addressed him.

"Of course not dear, however it is policy that _all_ aspects of these devices be examined before they can be deemed…safe for the children to use," She said, falling back in to her overly sweet voice though it was apparent it took some effort to keep it steady, "After all, we don't want to miss anything ."

"Riiiiiight," Ace rolled his eyes, "Because ink and a paper thin piece of _cardboard_ are extremely dangerous. They children might give themselves a paper cut you know."

"Why how d-"

"You've got what you came here for," Ace said casually taking the disk from Yami and shoving it into Umbridge's hands, "Now let's get back to the castle before breakfast is over shall we?"

Ace turned an about face without another word and left Umbridge standing beside herself with her jaw past her knees, as the group began to break up and head back to the castle. Yami gave a sideways glance at Umbridge and stuffed his cards back in their holster before running to catch up with Ace.

"You didn't have to do that." The former king said in a hushed voice.

"Nonsense," Ace chuckled, as they drew closer to the castle, "I was happy to do it. Every deck is special to its owner and she had no real cause to take it anyway."

"You would know then?" Yami asked, "I heard you say you used to duel yourself."

"I suppose you could say that."

"What made you stop?"

Ace stopped himself and turned to look at Yami. His face was still set in the same amused look he'd had when he first emerged from the trees, but it only went so deep, something else stirred behind the carefully painted mask, even as his features turned into a wide grin.

"Call it a lack of motivation," He said and then gestured up to the castle doors as the rest of the group closed in behind them, "Better hurry or you'll miss breakfast."

"Aren't you coming? You couldn't have had a chance to eat yet."

"I appreciate your concern Mr. Motou," Ace said waving a hand as he turned to head off again, "But I'm afraid I still have matters that require my attention this morning."

Before Yami could say another word, Ace was already out of earshot and heading around the castle and vanished out of sight. Bakura, Kaiba and Malik came up next to him, looking out to where Cooper had pulled out of sight.

"What'd you say to him that made him leave in such a hurry?" Malik commented, "I wanted to ask him if he'd seen anything in the woods before he came out."

"Like he would have told us if he did," Bakura pointed out, "Mr. CEO here has more of a social personality than he does."

"At least there's only one voice inside _my _head." Kaiba jeered back.

Yami ignored the comments and kept his gaze fixed on where Ace had turned the corner. Not so much that he was hoping the professor would return, but because it provided some sort of stability as everything started to rock back and forth. His vision fuzzed once, and the ground beneath his feet gave a spectacular heave that threatened to have him flat on his back.

"Kaiba," He managed, "Are you feeling alright? You aren't dizzy or anything?"

"A little tired, and in need of a strong cup of coffee, but otherwise fine. Why?"

"I….I just-"

That was all the further he managed to get before a white hot pain struck him behind the eyes. He felt his body go numb only for a second but never hit the ground before the world went black.

--------------

Gotc: Buahahahahaha! It feels soooooo good to be back. And to get that dueling scene done. I can't tell you how hard it was to plan that whole thing out.

Ace: Because being lazy had nothing to do with it?

Gotc: You got a break, so why are you complaining? Anyway, I hope you all remember where my favorite link is there at the bottom. You know the one that's right below this sentence? Yeah, that one. Click it and get help me get motivated for the next chappie and maybe it won't be several months before you hear from me again!! Laters!!!


	28. Into the Fold

Gotc: Soooo…some of you are mad at me….

Ace: What tipped you off? The angry reviews or the people who wanted to choke you to death?

Gotc: The threats were especially colorful weren't they? Besides the point though. Right now I have far bigger news to celebrate! *Inhales deeply*

Ace: Uh-oh. For the love of god, if any of you cherish your hearing, cover your ears while you still have a-

Gotc: _**I'VE GOT 300 REVIEWS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! 300!!! CAN YOU BELIEVE IT?!?!?!?! HAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!! 300 REVIEWS!!!!!!!! EVERYONE DO THE HAPPY DANCE WITH ME!!!!!!**_

Ace: Not a chance in He-

Gotc: _**Dance, slave!**_

Ace: *Mumbles curses and reluctantly dances* Whale! Get in here and do the disclaimer thing so Gotc doesn't go to jail! Wait, on second thought-

Squeaky: Squeak! (Too late! Nothing owned here folks! But you're all more than welcome to join in on the dancing! Woo! I'm going to go swim in the punch bowl!!!)

--------

_Harry Potter and the Order of the Rising Dragon_

CHAPTER 27: Into the Fold

_He never thought his lungs could burn like this. Every breath was a white hot mix of ash, smoke and heavy with the copper scent of blood. Still he pushed himself faster into the overrun palace, determined to catch up. His golden blade flashed more than once to cut down a demon that made the unfortunate mistake of getting in his way. But his kills were only one of many that had already cut a swath through the corridors of his home. The alabaster floors were nowhere to be found beneath the river of mixed ichor that flowed in the gaps between the bodies._

_With every step his heart sank lower in his chest as he realized where this trail of destruction led. He uttered a silent prayer to every god he knew that he was wrong, that the piles of bodies would keep going past, but they were in no mood to listen today. He stopped in the doorway in time to hear a final gurgling gasp, and watch as a massive figure rose from the center of the room with two motionless figures at his feet._

"_Ra please no…" His own voice felt foreign. His whole body shook uncontrollably at the sight, his eyes peeling back the crimson stains to see the faces beneath, "Rinowa….Marhya…."_

_He felt his hands shake even harder now, letting his fingers curl so tight around the hilt of his sword he thought it would shatter. He looked up from the sight at the man standing in the center of it all. In his hand rested an ebon blade dripping with fresh gore, the rest spattered across his armor. The man looked more demon than human, every pore of his body exuding a blood-lust that went beyond the depths of his imagination. _

_His helm swiveled slowly towards his visitor, the only part of his face visible were the two eyes that shone out from the shadows it cast. He spoke once, and only once. A deep language that caused the blood in his veins to run ice cold as the words filled the air…_

"_**Noai ti-i saono noipaili li-isai aka-aino anoti ti-i kaotisa ti-inosailipaisa xaiti-i ino ti-i xaiapainos Cuosaliti-iano!"**_

/_PHARAOH!/_

_-----_

"God Damnit Yugi! Wake up!" Kaiba shouted at the unmoving form of his rival.

"Get the hell out of the way, Priest!" Bakura hissed, seeing a distinct golden glowing eye starting to shine even through the dark colored robes of his fellow spirit. And it wasn't just the Puzzle that was going haywire. A sudden burn coming from his own chest, and an angry glow in Malik's direction all pulsed in reaction.

"Take the Puzzle off him before the whole damn school ends up in the Shadow Realm!" Malik hissed in Egyptian as he noted that the teachers were now rushing towards them.

"In front of half the school's teachers! They took the duel disks because they made a couple of duel monsters move!" Bakura barked back, "Care to wager what they'll do if I pull a Ra-be-damned mystic lantern from around his Highness' neck!"

Bakura tried again to shake the unconscious king awake, screaming into his mind in a near desperate attempt to rouse him.

_((I swear Pharaoh, if you die now I'll head to the afterlife myself and kill you again!))_

_/Bakura!/_ Yugi's voice echoed

_((Yugi?! What in Ra's name is going on?!)) _Bakura growled, _((And if you're still conscious, why aren't you taking over?))_

_/I don't know! One minute Yami was fine, and the next there's a flash and I'm locked in!/_

_((Did you see anything before you were put on house arrest?))_

_/Some kind of battle, I think. But before I was able to get a good look ,I ended up in here./_

Bakura growled with frustration and let the Ring flare to life to try and break whatever seal was keeping the Pharaoh's brat in lock down. What he hadn't expected to happen was the backlash that threw him out of Yugi's head.

_/Forget it Bakura,/ _Yugi called, _/Just get him some help and I'll keep trying to reach him from here./_

Bakura growled at being beaten back so easily, but relented that this was hardly the time or place to force himself into what could very well be a breaking mind.

"Kaiba, do you think you could carry Yugi to the infirmary?" Bakura growled in defeat, as he turned to face a stunned Hermione.

Malik saw it too and for a moment the three of them could only stare. She had seen them. There was a slim possibility she hadn't comprehended it, but it was more likely she'd just turn them all over to whatever constituted the magical police. And since there was no way they would roll over so quietly-

"Good heavens!" McGonagall cried, rushing up to the scrambling group, "What happened?!"

Belief in magic or not, Kaiba had enough sense to hastily cover the glowing eye with another fold of Yugi's robes as the transfiguration teacher knelt to examine the unconscious teen. For once, none of them could think of a reasonable excuse that would explain a situation even they didn't fully understand. Kaiba glared up at the two Egyptians, the look on his face plainly saying: "This is your department. You tell her something."

Malik looked at Bakura for any kind of help, but found none even as a half-formed excuse started to tumble from his lips. They both knew no one would believe it. It would only be another second before someone else noticed the still burning glow coming from beneath Yugi's robes, and perhaps another few before someone recognized that the four of them were more than just ordinary students.

"H…he just-"

"He collapsed Professor," Hermione spoke up, her gaze lingering a moment longer on the others before she turned her full attention to the teachers, "Yugi's been complaining of a headache and not sleeping well for days. And yesterday he was out while it was raining, so he must have just fallen ill."

Malik and Bakura stared at the young witch now covering for them, almost unable to believe the words that were reaching their ears. Kaiba even seemed mildly shocked, but he masked it well enough and turned his attention to hoisting Yami's limp form off the ground. Still, they knew they weren't out of it yet as Umbridge caught sight of the commotion and waddled closer to inspect the scene.

"Ah-ha!" She sneered, pointing at the unconscious Pharaoh, "I knew those muggle contraptions were dangerous! Just look at what it's done to that poor child!"

"Then why am I perfectly fine?" Kaiba snapped back, having enough sense to know not only were they in a precarious situation, but that Yami's health was in peril as well. Not that he particularly cared for his rival or the company he kept, but he wasn't about to let some ancient magic fairy tale take out his adversary before he had the pleasure.

"Why dear," Umbridge reasoned, "You're obviously a bit heartier than your friend. Surely one so frail couldn't be expected to hold up as well under such a brutal trial."

"Delores, I think Ms. Granger might be right," McGonagall said, testing her hand against Yami's forehead, "He certainly feels warm to the touch. I think it would be best if you let Madam Pomfrey take a look at him. Hurry on and get him to the Hospital Wing!"

None of them waited for a second invitation. All four turned tail and set off for the nurse at a pace just under a brisk jog. Hermione didn't stop or slow down, but neither did she look back at the other three as she led the way through the halls. Bakura wasn't sure if he'd rather her confronted them then and there, or if the silence was a blessing in disguise.

_[She'll want to know.]_ Malik's voice echoed his thoughts.

_((Think of anything to tell her?))_

_[I was hoping you had an idea.]_

Bakura grit his teeth in frustration. As much as he hated to admit it, he wished the Pharaoh was still conscious. Everything about the nameless king might have rubbed him the wrong way, but he had a god-given knack for working his way out of tight situations. But wishing wasn't going to do them any good. There was an overwhelming chance that Yami was in yet another memory and the fact that this one had actually caused him to collapse was not a promising prospect.

Their trek to the Hospital Wing was quick, and blessedly free of any prying eyes roaming the halls. As an added blessing, the Puzzle had stopped glowing, though the magic shifting around them had anything but abated. If anything, it was getting stronger, but for right now, all they could do was follow Hermione into the orderly room where an aging witch took notice of their arrival.

"Ms. Granger," She nodded curtly, "I should have expected to see you this year, though not quite so soon. You seem to be in order, so tell me, is it Mr. Potter or Mr. Weasley that seems to have gone and gotten themselves injured?"

"Neither ma'am," Hermione said turning and pointing to Yami, "He collapsed outside. He wasn't feeling well yesterday."

"I see," The nurse bustled around, "Lay him there on that bed and I'll have a look at him. A touch of the flu perhaps? Wouldn't surprise me with all this rotten weather…"

Kaiba did as he was told, laying Yami out on one of the clean, pressed hospital beds, as Madam Pomfrey came around the other side to get a better look at him. She was quick in her examination, two fingers against his neck, and a look in his eyes. She didn't bother with a thermometer for a temperature, but did place the back of her hand against his forehead as McGonagall had earlier.

"Well, I don't know about the flu," She said at last, straightening her apron, "But he's not well, that's for sure. I'll not ask what you lot were doing before he collapsed, but I suggest whatever it was you avoid it in the future."

"Is there anything you can do for him?" Malik asked anxiously. He and the Pharaoh had their past conflicts, but he was a friend to Yugi if nothing else. He knew from experience what affected the one would affect the other.

"I can give him a quiet bed and a day's rest," Came the reply, "And a little something from the local village to help perk him up once he's awake. But the best thing for him now's going to be a good respite. I suggest you all let him be for now and I'll watch over him. You can check back in a little while to see if he's woken up."

They were hesitant to leave, the threat of their secret being discovered still hanging over their heads. The order to leave didn't have much room for argument, and everything about the witch's demeanor suggested she was not the sort to tolerate any kind of word otherwise. Reluctantly, three left the room, while the fourth simply waited patiently until they were all out of earshot of the nearest room. She didn't say anything, instead crossed both arms and kept an even stare at the three that nicely conveyed anything that needed to be spoken.

"Not here," Bakura mumbled, using the ring to search for any who might hear them, "Somewhere more secure."

"You have fun," Kaiba shook his head, "I'll stay here if anything changes."

"Suit yourself."

Hermione only nodded and glanced around until her eyes fell onto the door of an unused classroom. She motioned for them all to come inside, and peered out to make sure no one had seen them enter before she shut the door. As soon as they were all shut in, Bakura summoned the shadows to engulf the room and everyone inside. The energy wasn't enough to pull them fully into the Realm itself, but enough to remove their presence so that they would have the chance to explain and take other measures if it became necessary. Hermione seemed started as the room suddenly fell darker and seemed to develop as an entity of its own.

"You're going to tell me what this is all about then?" She asked, her voice carrying a little anxiety.

_[So, should you tell her?]_

_((Of course not. It's part of your heritage to pass this knowledge down to the next generation isn't it?)) _The Thief King scoffed, _((I'd hate to deprive you of that experience.))_

_[Maybe when the Nile freezes over. You're going to help me with this, and I'm not asking.]_

"We can only tell you as much as we know," Bakura said sternly, "And what we say is not to ever become common knowledge."

"Fine, but Harry and Ron should know about this too," She said defiantly, "They're just as close to this as I am."

"Alright, but if we think you've even so much as uttered a syllable of this in your sleep to anyone else, we will see to it that your life comes to a very unpleasant halt."

The only reply they received was a slight nod, and nervous sigh. Malik and Bakura exchanged a glance as they both brought their Items into the open for the first time since they had arrived in the wizarding world. Hermione looked at the gold in amazement, though she did not speak.

"I take it you don't know what these are," Malik noted her reaction.

"No, but they look old…and….Egyptian?" She said, not taking her eyes off of them.

"They are," Malik nodded, "These two are a part of a set of seven created several thousand years ago in the sands of Egypt. To those who know of their existence, they are called the Millennium Items. I and my sister hold one, Ryou holds the one you see and another, and Yugi holds one as well. There is another who holds two items, though he is almost as elusive as the winds that stir the desert sands."

"What about Seto?" Hermione said , "Doesn't he have one?"

"No," Malik rooled his eyes, "He doen't believe in anything he can't explain himself."

"Fine," Hermione shook her head, "What makes them so special though?"

"You told Cooper that the earliest mention of dark magic came out of Egypt," Bakura said, "Just how much of that do you know?"

"Not a whole lot more than that. People from nobles to commoners would show signs of the ability to use magic, though it was said that the priests of the king and the Pharaoh himself were the most powerful and most adept at controlling it."

Malik raised an eyebrow. He hadn't been expecting her to even know _that_ much. After all, no one else outside of Item bearers ever had, but then again, if she knew that much already, then perhaps the next part of his story wouldn't traumatize her too badly.

"That's only the bare bones of part of the entire story," Malik explained, "The Millennium Items were created during a period of war and instability in Egypt as part of an effort to bring peace back to the country. Since the Pharaoh's army lacked the manpower to defeat Egypt's foes, his priests turned to magic. The seven Items became a way for the Pharaoh and his Priests to harness the magic of a realm that runs parallel to our own called the Shadow Realm."

"A Shadow Realm?" Hermione scoffed, but with a hint of unease behind the gesture, "There's no such thing."

"Really?" Bakura chuckled, "Haven't you noticed anything off about the room we're in right now? How the lights seem so far away, how there's no noise coming from the other side of the door. Or even how this room is empty, but our voices refuse to carry against the stone? This isn't even the Shadow Realm. If we had taken you there, you would have been confronted with things straight from your worst nightmares that would have been all too delighted to torment you until insanity seeped in as a last resort to save you."

At their mention, the Shadows seemed to take their cue from the other side of the thin barrier that separated them to creep a little more into the room. Bakura didn't seem to mind, feeling right at home amongst the darker energies, their presence serving to cast a darker look on the face of the King of Thieves. This time, any face Hermione had put on to stand firm in her demands, was shattered entirely the instant she saw the very air around her begin to writhe and twist.

"It is a realm of monsters and demons," Malik said holding up a card from his deck, "The Egyptians were the first to discover this through the creation of the Millennium Items and documented it in the stone tablets we find today. They were able to summon these creatures from this realm to our own to do battle for any reason their masters deemed fit."

Hermione stared at the card in Malik's hand, wide-eyed as the comprehension dawned on her in a sudden moment of realization.

"Your cards…." Hermione gasped, "They are real…"

"Not quite," Malik grinned, "What you saw today was truly nothing more than a clever manipulation of light to make the cards 'live'. The game's creator molded everything about Duel Monsters after the writings of the ancient Egyptians, from the rules right down to the depictions of the monsters they used to do their bidding. Anyone playing the game now needs Kaiba's projectors to simulate what the Egyptains did by magic….Except for us."

Malik uttered something under his breath in Egyptian, a golden glow emanating from his Rod to reveal a horned lizard in its wake. Now Hermione could tell the difference. The monsters before, while extremely intimidating, never really made her fear for her life. This thing before her now did, its eyes focused solely on her and plainly intended to pull her apart if only Malik would give it a single word. She thought her knees would collapse out from under her when Malik waved the Rod again, dismissing the beast back to wherever he'd called it from.

"Every Item has the ability to call forth monsters from the Shadow Realm, as well as open the realm as we have to bring others into it." Malik said offering his hand, noticing Hermione's unsteadiness, "However every Item possesses abilities….unique to itself. Strings attached to them."

"Unique?" Hermione nearly squeaked, "What are you talking about?"

"What my friend is trying to say is that surely you have noticed that I'm not the Ryou Bakura you knew when you first met us," Bakura said, continuing when he got a small nod from her, "That's because I'm not him. I'm a 3 millennia old spirit whose soul was bound to this Item, and consequently to Ryou when he came to possess it. I won't go into the details of it all, but I will say Yugi's in a similar situation."

"Truthfully, that makes more sense than anything else you've said so far," Hermione laughed weakly, rubbing her face, "And it certainly clears a lot up about the way you all have been acting…but, I saw that glow from Yugi's Item thing earlier when he passed out, so what does all of that have to do with what happened to him?"

"Yugi's spirit is different from myself," Bakura said, managing to keep a level tone at speaking of his rival, "His Item houses the Spirit of the Pharaoh who was responsible for sealing away the power of the Millennium Items 5000 years ago. The Shadows began to overwhelm he and his priests, so he sacrificed himself to lock it all away to save Egypt. In doing so, he also forfeited his name, memories, and identity. But ever since we've been here…He's been getting bits and pieces of them back."

"You seem awfully unhappy about that."

"In sealing himself away, he also sealed away the greatest threat of the Shadow Realm to never again see the light of day," Bakura growled, "It's a monster with power unlike anything the world has ever or will ever face again. If the Pharaoh is getting his memories back, it means that seal is weakening. Maybe even to the point of collapse if how violently they're starting to come over him is anything to judge."

Hermione put a hand to her head and went to put the other to the wall to steady herself, but suddenly thought better of it as the stone moved yet again. She hadn't been expecting a normal year; after all, she was friends with Harry and someone had been trying to kill them since day one it seemed. While she couldn't say she'd ever gotten used to having to look over her shoulder all the time, this sort of thing just seemed to be par for the course.

"Ok," She sighed, trying to coble everything together, "You are a 5000 year old spirit, living inside a piece of Egyptian jewelry that's part of a set of seven that can control and manipulate a whole other realm. Another spirit lives in Yugi's and he has no idea who he is, since he sacrificed himself to lock up that realm's worst monster, except now you think he's going to get out again?"

"Pretty much." Malik nodded.

"Does Yugi know about this?"

"Of course he does," Bakura scoffed, "Wouldn't you want to know why you were passing out in the middle of doorways?"

"He just seems too calm for all of this," Hermione tried to reason, "You all do."

"We have to be," Bakura growled, his patience with the whole conversation beginning to wear thin, "The Shadows don't like it that they are at the beck and call of mortals. If they sensed us wavering, even for an instant, they would consume us without hesitation. Your fear of the power we hold might be misguided, but that doesn't mean it's not well-placed."

"I suppose….but," Hermione just shook her head, "you all just don't _seem_ like the type…"

A snort came from Malik and a disgusted look passed across the Thief Lord's face , as he turned to recall the Shadows threatening to completely take over the room.

"It's that kind of thinking that will get you killed faster than anything in this world."

-----

_/PHARAOH!! PHARAOH WAKE UP!/_

Reality was being stubborn. Everything kept shifting and spinning, making it hard to focus on anything in particular. That, and there was the fact Yami couldn't get that ominous voice out of his head. He could still hear it's words ringing around his skull, though their meaning was anyone's guess.

_/PHARAOH!!!/_

That was strange. He could still hear it, only now it sounded an awful lot like…

_//Ngnh…Yu…gi?//_

Slowly, Yami sat up and tried to focus on his surroundings, but only managing to prop himself up on one elbow before a dizzying wave of nausea hit him like a truck. He was fortunate they'd skipped breakfast for the duel, so there was really nothing for his stomach to force out, but that didn't stop it from trying to heave up what wasn't there. When at last his stomach did quiet down, Yami rolled back onto the bed he was in and closed his eyes again. He felt like he'd just run a marathon, and the way his head was pounding, he was inclined to believe it.

He retreated to his mind to escape the throbbing, and found his hikari anxiously awaiting him.

"Yami! What happened?"

"What are you talking about Aibou?" Yami asked puzzled, "Didn't you see-"

"No," Yugi cut him off, worry dripping from his every word, "One second you were fine, and the next, you collapse and I end up locked in my soul room."

"Locked in?!" Yami said, horrified. Granted he had the ability to do such a thing, but forcibly taking control of his host was something Bakura was known for, not him.

"I'm sorry Yugi…" He muttered, trying to sift though everything, "I didn't mean to…"

"I know," Yugi sighed, relief now creeping in, "But when you just collapsed…..I didn't know what to do. You shouldn't scare us like that."

"Us?"

"Bakura was about ready to break down your door and pull you out of wherever you were himself," Yugi chuckled a little.

"Now _that's_ something I'd have liked to have seen," Yami joined him.

"Speaking of…" Yugi trailed off, not quite able to finish the sentence.

"It was worse than any of the other's Yugi…." Yami sighed, shaking his head, "The entire city, Egypt…everything was burning. And those two…..he just…."

"What two?"

"The two from the vision out on the Quiditch field," Yami clarified, his voice hollow as their bloodied faces crept back into his mind's eye, " I saw them again, but by the time I got there…he'd already….."

Yugi watched as Yami slid down the wall of their shared corridor and put one hand to his head. He seemed to be taking it all rather well, all things considered. But even Yugi couldn't get past just how tired Yami looked. He wasn't terrified by what he'd seen, but instead the look on his face was just haunted.

"He said something this time…." Yami said at last, more stability infusing itself back into his demeanor, "I didn't recognize the language, but I know I've heard something similar to it somewhere, but I just can't figure out where."

"Well it's good to see you're coming around!"

Yami blinked and wrenched himself from their conversation, to see who it was that was talking to him. He managed about a half-second glance, before the clean-pressed witch was fussing about him, pressing the back of her hand to his head, getting a look in his eyes, ears and down his throat before he could protest. She seemed to be doing everything at once, and threatened to make him dizzy again, when she finally stepped away and set something down next to his bedside.

"There you are dear," She said crisply, "A bit of Honeyduke's chocolate will help put some color back into your cheeks. You start eating that, and I'll go get your friend and let him know you've woken up."

_/That was strange._/ Yugi commented, materializing next to his darker half.

_//Not as strange as this…//_ Yami said, as he saw who it was coming through the door.

"It's about time you woke up," Kaiba growled, pulling up a seat, "Do you have any idea how close you made us all come to getting kicked out of here?"

"Sorry Kaiba," Yami snorted, "Next time I'll give you advanced notice. Where's Ryou and Malik?"

"With Hermione," Kaiba said, obviously displeased with their situation, "She's the one who thought of an excuse to keep the teachers from taking a closer look at you. Unfortunately, she wanted to know just what kind of freaks the rest of you are in return."

Yami sat back in the bed, resting his head against the wall. He'd hoped to have avoided this sort of thing from happening, but there was nothing they could do about it now except deal with it as best they could and move forward. It certainly could have been worse, after all, Hermione was smart and probably would have figured it out on her own sooner or later. At least this way, she'd be able to find out everything at once instead of drawing her own conclusions.

"How long have I been out?" Yami asked.

"About four hours," Kaiba said, checking the wall clock, "The others left right after we got you settled in here, so they should be just about….speak of the devil…."

The doors opened into the hospital wing for the second time, allowing the missing three of their group in to see their "ailing" friend. Yami wasn;t sure how much Malik and Bakura had told her, but he did have to admit she looked rather composed compared to what he'd been expecting.

"Have fun on your trip down Memory Lane?" Bakura scoffed, bringing up the rear of the group.

"Of course," Yami bit back, "Out-of-body experiences are always a riot."

"Terrific," Malik said, "So you'll tell us what you saw then?"

Yami sighed and looked at Hermione. He didn't like disclosing such information so soon after she'd learned the truth about them, but then again, perhaps a fresh perspective on the whole situation wouldn't be a bad thing to have on their side either. Besides, he'd have to get it out of the way eventually, and the fewer times he'd have to recite that Ra-awful scenario, the better.

They listened silently as Yami told them everything, detail by detail, despite the few interruptions by Madam Pomfrey when she drew within earshot of them. When he was done, Yami felt just as exhausted as he had when he'd first woken up, but at least they had another lead to go on now.

"Um…Yugi, or well do you have something I could call you so I don't get the two of you confused?" Hermione asked once he was finished.

"Yami will work just fine."

"Ok, Yami," She said with a small nod, grabbing a quill and rumpled scrap of parchment from the trash, "When the man spoke to you, you said it sounded familiar. Do you remember what he said?"

"Not really I'm afraid," Yami said a little frustrated with himself, "Noai something……Xiaputos Cuosaliti…."

"Cuosaliti?" Malik said, perking up at the word, looking over at Hermione, "That was the only word we managed to decipher from the scans!"

"Terrific,"Kaiba growled, "We know some foreign intruder marched into Egypt and all but took it by force, and now we know that some tomb was erected with his language written on it. How does this help us?"

"There might be a connection between what was written in that tomb and what's causing the flashbacks," Hermione said, finishing up her notes and carefully folding them, "But we've only got one word translated, and we don't even know if it's correct. How are we supposed to translate a tomb's worth of text?"

"Simple," Malik said, turning to look out the window, "We just need to find out exactly what language we're dealing with."

"If that's our starting point," Yami spoke up, "Then I know just the person for the job."

---------

Gotc: DONE! And in comparison to my last update time, this was rather prompt if I do say so myself.

Ace: With you, there's no such thing. And you might have got it done quicker if you hadn't insisted on reading 25 volumes of Fullmetal Alchemist…

Gotc: It was addicting for some reason. Anyway, who's the armored mystery killer? What's the connection between the unidentified hieroglyphs and Yami's memories? How will Harry and Ron react to the news of our gang? For the answers to all this and more, click my favorite button and tell me what you thought of the chapter and I'll get the next one to ya' asap!!!

Ace: You just want to do the scene with-

Gotc: SHUT UP! You're going to ruin it and I'll have to kill you. They have to review, since my new goal is now 400! Help me get there folks, and you get more chappies! Laters!


	29. Directions

Gotc: Sorry folks. When it comes to computers, I can't seem to catch a break. My desktop caught a virus and it had all my stuff on it, so now I'm working from my lappy to get all my stuff straightened out while it's awaiting the cash to clean it out. Pthbt.

Ace: Normally, this would be where I make some smart-ass comment, but seeing as how you about turned me inside out when the computer died…

Gotc: You just remember that. Anyway, things are starting to get back to normal so I give you all the next chapter! Squeaky!

Squeaky: Squeak! (It's safe to come out now right?)

Ace: Mostly.

Gotc: HEY!

Squeaky: Squeak! (Right people, you know the drill, now owning things here! Now get out of here and read!)

* * *

_Harry Potter and the Order of the Rising Dragon_

CHAPTER 28: Directions

Hermione wasn't sure if she was glad the others had stayed to keep Yugi company in the Hospital Wing, while she waited for Ron and Harry. It had already been decided they should know about their friends'…..circumstances, but she was starting to wonder if she would have rather had at least one of them to help retell the story. Of course, it was getting dark and Madam Pomfery wouldn't let them stay with Yugi much longer. Maybe she should just wait?

No, she was going to have to tell them one way or another. Better to tell them now than later. But what was she going to tell them anyway? The people the Order had rescued were really ancient wizards that could command magic from another realm? They were going to think she was out of her mind… Then again, given their history, it didn't sound as crazy as it should have.

A creak from the other side of the room interrupted her thoughts, as the portrait guarding the entrance swung open to let in a very tired looking Ron and Harry through. They dumped their gear in a haphazard trail behind them before flopping down into the empty chairs next to the fire. Hermione swallowed hard, still not sure how she was going to tell them.

"How was practice?" She asked, trying to keep the apprehension out of her voice.

"It was-" Harry began.

"Completely lousy," Ron grumbled, sinking further into the chair.

"Well it was only your first one," Hermione said, trying to get him into a better mood, "It's bound to take some time to-"

"Who said it was me who made it lousy?" Ron snapped back.

"No one! I just thought-"

"You thought I was bound to be rubbish?"

"No, of course I didn't! Look, I just-"

"Forget it," Ron said angrily getting to his feet and heading for the boy's dormitory.

"Ron, wait!" Hermione said, the anxiety finally leaking through her voice.

Both Harry and Ron stopped to look at Hermione, now almost shaking nervously. They knew something was up now. The only time she ever got flustered like this was when there was something seriously wrong, which meant there was no backing out of it now.

"There's something I have to tell you."

* * *

"Are you sure you don't remember anything else?"

"You're talking to the amnesia patient of the millennium," Bakura scoffed, leaning back in his chair to keep an eye on the comings and goings of the energetic nurse in the other room, "It's a miracle he can remember his own name- Oh wait!"

"Shut your mouth, Thief," Yami growled back, "Or I'll be the one to shut it for you."

"I'm sure you will…" Bakura rolled his eyes.

Yami glared a moment longer, a few particular phrases for the spirit coming to mind, but the droning ache in his head made the effort hardly worth it.

"No." Yami said running a frustrated hand through his hair, "That's it, and truth be told, I don't want to remember any more than that."

Malik nodded, finishing his scribbling on one of the glossy scans. The Egyptian sighed heavily with frustration, a sentiment that seemed to be shared by yami and hikari alike. Those scans held a mystery, and now it seemed like Yami's memories were tied to them as well. But if they were truly tied to his memories, what consequence would come from unraveling such a complicated web of secrets?

"Malik," Yami said, "We should consider what might happen if we do manage to translate those texts."

"The visions are getting worse the more time that passes," Bakura said, his brow furrowed, "You're passing out now they've become so intense. I think the question's become what might happen if we _don't _translate them."

"Risking the well-being of this world is too high a price to pay to find out," Yami pointed out.

"It may not have to be," Malik said, "From what I can tell, though granted that's not much, these scans are all depicting a single event. If your visions and these texts are related, it may be only a part of your memories recovered instead of all of them."

"As much as I hate to admit it, I think Ishtar has a point," Kaiba said, reluctantly from his post at the window, "I think you're all crazy, but that doesn't change the fact that you're still passing out in the middle of a crowd of people. If that happens again, I don't think we're going to be able to get away with such a simple excuse like we did today."

"Kaiba's right, next time it may not be just Hermione," Malik reasoned, "If we can let the visions through that are trying to force their way out already, maybe we can stop the flashes altogether. Bleed the pressure a little."

Yami sighed. He wanted to be angry for all that was happening, but couldn't manage it. For whatever reason, this had been the path he'd chosen. He could only hope that he'd known what the consequences of his actions were going to be.

"We're going to need to get a hold of Professor Hawkins," Yami said, "He's the best chance of figuring out what language we're working with."

"We could send it with one of those owls," Kaiba suggested, "They seem to be efficient if nothing else."

"No," Malik shook his head, "The people who were after us are still out there somewhere. We don't know what's written here, and there could be a dammed good reason it's almost impossible to read."

"Then where does that leave us?" Bakura asked, "If the pigeon's can't carry it, how are we supposed to get those scans to the old man?"

"I'll be making a company call to Mokuba in a few days," Kaiba said, "He could forward the information to Hawkins."

"This needs to be done sooner rather than later, Priest," Bakura argued.

"He's got a point," Yami sighed, "We may just have to take a chance and send it out by owl."

Everyone's gaze fell on the scans loosely held in Malik's hands. Depending on the point of view changed the particular feeling towards them, but the sentiment was still the same. There was something important buried there within those texts, and they had no better way to get it than to break down and ask another outside source for help. They had nothing else they could do, but wait.

"I don't like this." Kaiba frowned, shaking his head

Kaiba's declaration shattered the silence that had settled between the duelists, bringing all eyes back to him

"Join the club, Preist," Bakura scoffed, keeping his gaze on the floor in front of him, "The Pharaoh's passing out in broad daylight and I don't think any of us are exactly thrilled that a couple of nosy wizards know about us so soon."

"Hmph. It's almost cute how you think I care those three know about your mental problems," Kaiba snorted, "I'm talking about the timing of all this."

Malik rolled his eyes, "Yeah it's not the most ideal situation now that he's starting to pass out in front of people who are literally scared out of their skins by every little thing they can't explain."

"I can't believe sometimes how thick you can be," Kaiba growled, a headache starting to form, "Doesn't it strike any of you as odd that this all began to happen as soon as we were accepted into this school? 'Coincidences' are something that we never seem to have in large supply if you haven't noticed."

What are you getting at?" Yami glanced at the CEO.

"Think about it for once," Kaiba pointed out, "We get our letters and not two hours later, McGonagall shows up telling us that they think some evil wizard was after us. Ishtar's hieroglyphs from this newly discovered tomb begin showing up in your psychotic episodes, _AND_ you start having these flashes after we're attacked in Domino."

"Hold on," Bakura stopped him, "You think the wizards are doing something?"

"I think the wizards know something." Kaiba nodded, "Both this 'Order' of theirs and those dark wizards that attacked us. I think they found something that pointed them right to us, it wouldn't be the first time someone's wanted something from us for some kind of power move after all. I feel there's more to the story than we've been told, and they're just biding their time until either side can end the stalemate."

"So what's your plan?" Bakura folded his arms across his chest.

"We start with those scans," Kaiba gestured to the laminated sheets in Malik's hand, "We can't afford to have Yugi drawing any more attention to us. We'll send them out first thing tomorrow to Dr. Hawkins, by owl. You translate for a living, Ishtar. If you can't figure them out, no one intercepting them will be able to either."

"If you are right about these wizards, Priest," Bakura pointed out, "We'd be foolish to proceed any further without knowing who we're dealing with any better. Some of these teachers here were at that place in London, we need to find out exactly what their agenda is."

"I agree," Yami nodded, "It's something we should have looked into before it got this far, but there's not much we can do about that now. Now that Harry, Ron and Hermione know about us now, they may even be able to help us and it may divert some of the attention off of us as well."

The sound of brisk footsteps brought the discussion to an abrupt close, as Madam Pomfrey entered the ward with a glass of water and some leftovers from dinner.

"Alright you three," She said, setting the tray down, "You lollygag here much longer and you'll be out past curfew. Now get along, Mr. Motou needs his rest."

There was a second of noncompliance among the group, as thoughts of arguing with the witch crossed everyone's minds. There was still more they needed to discuss that shouldn't be put off, even until morning. When no one moved, her features hardened into a look that would have sent the Shadows running for cover.

"Well?" She said, putting both hands on her hips.

Reluctantly, the three got to their feet, casting sidelong glances behind them as the graying nurse hurried them along when they didn't move fast enough for her liking. Yami leaned his head back against the pillow, letting the fluff take the weight of his head. Mixed feelings about the whole situation rolled in his mind for what felt like the millionth time since they'd arrived at the castle. Relief that they were at least making progress, unease of just where that progress was going to lead them. He glanced at the food on the table next to him, though didn't feel much like eating but did recognize the body he inhabited was not his own.

_/Are you hungry Yugi?/_

_/Not really. But you should probably get some rest./_

_/And you should probably eat./ _

The silence that passed between them was almost tangible and nearly stifling. Yami pressed his head into his hands for a moment before Yugi resumed control of his body. Yugi felt sudden stiffness and fatigue seize his limbs after being little more than spirit for so long. Yami materialized next to him, but didn't look up from his place next to the bed.

_/So where do we go from here?/_

_/We follow Kaiba's plan. That's all we can do for now./_

Yami sighed heavily, looking out the window and past the darkening glass. Yugi could see something else brewing behind his darker half's crimson eyes that he wasn't sharing.

_/Yami…/_ Yugi pushed, not about to let his darker half shut him out again.

_/There's something off about these visions./_ Yami relented at last, _/Dreams I could understand, but the way that one just hit…..I think something triggered it./_

_/Like what? The duel?/_

_/It's a possibility. Kaiba did say he had to use several spells to get the duel disks to work on the school grounds./_

_/I thought Bakura said that the magics here weren't strong enough to affect the seal on your memories./_

_/The Thief wasn't even aware of the wizards until Ryou got his letter. I find it hard to believe he could be 100% sure./_

_/What if you're both right?/_

Yami looked at his younger charge, as Yugi sat up a little more in the bed to put his elbows on his knees.

_/Think about it. If the magics here are strong enough to interfere with electronics, how do we know that there aren't other enchantments that could interfere with other magic? There're plenty of places out-of-bounds to students without any real reason as to why we should stay away. Maybe there's something in the castle that's triggering the flashes. The longer you're exposed to it-/_

_/-the stronger the flashes get./ _Yami finished nodding his head, _/It would make sense as to why they're starting to get worse… So if we find out just what's setting them off in the first place, we might be able to stop them all together./_

_/That's the idea,/_ Yugi nodded, _/Of course, there's only one way to really find what's causing it…you'll have to…./_

_/Be exposed to it. I understand,/ _Yami said, _/ But I'd rather be using these visions to get closer to an answer, than sitting back and just waiting for the next one to hit./_

_/First thing tomorrow then?/_ Yugi tried to stifle a yawn, leaning back on the pillows hardly able to keep his eyes open any longer, /_I'm kinda…tired…./_

_/Of course, Aibou. Get some rest./_

Yami never got a response from his lighter half. Yugi was already fast asleep, and it wasn't long before Yami followed suit.

* * *

"You're joking."

Hermione folded her arms, narrowing her gaze at Harry and Ron. Disbelief was one thing, but the smirks the two were casting back and forth between each other like she was crazy were starting to get on her nerves.

"Why on Earth would I be joking about something like this?" Hermione cried indignantly.

"Look," Ron shook his head condescendingly, "It's been a long day for everyone. I know the Yugi and his friends are a little off, but that doesn't mean they're ancient wizards! I mean, they're even worse at using some of these spells that I am-"

"I sincerely hope for your sake that was a compliment."

The three wizards turned around in time to see Bakura push his way through the Portrait Hole. Hermione swallowed hard as the yami entered the room, but Harry and Ron only sat back in their chairs and waited for him to sit and join them.

"How's Yugi?" She asked tensely, as Bakura flopped heavily next to them.

"Tired, but not bad all things considered," He grumbled staring into the fire, "I'm impressed you two aren't berating me yet though."

"Hermione was trying to tell us you guys were some weird crazy wizards from like 10,000 years ago," Harry chuckled, Ron joining him in a laugh.

"5,000."

The laughing slowed a little to something of an uneasy chuckle, as Bakura turned his gaze on them. There was no trace of laughter in his dark eyes, and he certainly didn't seem like the friendly kid they knew in Ryou at all.

"Heh….what?" Ron stammered uneasily.

"We're 5,000 years old, not 10,000." Bakura said evenly, "And it's only Yugi's infuriating other half and myself, Granger, not all four of us. If you're going to include these two in all of this, then they'd better have their facts straight, or Malik and Marik are going to have fun wiping their minds."

The laughter came to an abrupt halt at Bakura's threat. There was no joke in his voice and every syllable carried the threat with the weight to see it carried out. Ryou didn't threaten anyone; the kid was the kind to get threatened for sure, but he never seemed like he had a mean bone in his body. The white-haired wizard beside them looked enough like their friend, but there was certainly something off. His hair seemed to stand out even wilder than usual, if that was possible, and his eyes held an edge that seemed as though it could cut straight through them. Whoever was sitting in the chair by the fire now, looked at them over his knuckles as if they could be wiped away with no more effort than it would take to shoo a fly. And at the moment, it didn't seem like he even had the patience for flies.

"You're really not…Ryou?" Harry shifted uncomfortably in his seat.

"Hmph. It's at least good to know I can play the part of my host well enough to fool you mortals," Bakura rolled his eyes, "I am, unfortunately, only a spirit who shares the body of the boy you know as Ryou Bakura. As I'm sure your friend there has already explained to you."

Hermione put her hands on her hips as if to say I-told-you-so, but at least had the grace not to. There was enough going on, and the last thing any of them needed was to play a childish game of who was right and who wasn't.

"Do any of the teachers know about you four yet?" Harry asked, finding his voice first, thought it still seemed uncertain as he spoke.

"No," Bakura said harshly to drive the point home, "And I intend to see that it stays that way. It's bad enough we have this Voldermort amateur trying to hunt us down as it is."

"Is that why he came after you? Those Items Hermione was telling us about?" Harry pointed to the glint of gold peeking out through Bakura's robes.

"It's certainly the most likely reason," Bakura nodded, "Though we think that perhaps some members of this 'Order' may have an idea about why he came hunting us down."

"I thought you just said no one knew about you," Ron frowned.

"It's a close kept secret that some of the Items house spirits; the abilities and nature of the Millennium Items I'm afraid aren't as reclusive." Bakura sighed, trying to keep his patience in check, "Though the only ones that can truly wield their power are already in possession of an Item."

"Then this makes sense," Harry frowned, earning looks from everyone, "Remember when I first showed up at Headquarters? How Sirius said they thought Voldermort was looking for a weapon? I think they meant all of you, that's why they brought you to Hogwarts."

"Which is why we need your help," Bakura nodded, impressed with how well they were coping with the news, "We don't know who we can trust, especially within this wizarding order. I find it hard to believe they only wish to provide us with a safe haven in such troubling times."

"You think the Order of the Phoenix is trying to use you guys?" Ron scoffed incredulously, "That's rubbish!"

"No it's not Ron," Harry reminded him, suppressing a shudder at the memory, "Remember how easy it was for Crouch to take Professor Moody's place?"

"Harry, I don't think Dumbledore would be so careless a second time-" Hermione started.

"Quirrel was already here when we arrived at the school, and now there's Professor Umbridge?" Harry ticked off on his fingers, "Dumbledore can't watch everyone, Hermione."

"You'll help us look into these teachers then?" Bakura held out his hand.

"I certainly don't think it could hurt." Harry nodded grasping it, "Ron?"

"Fine," The red-head sighed, adding his hand, "But only as long as you don't try to pull any of that dark magic stuff."

"Don't worry," Bakura chuckled darkly, "It would be over before you even knew what happened."

Ron pulled his hand back as Ryou blinked a few times, letting Bakura recede back into his soul room, laughing the whole way there. He felt off as usual when Bakura had control of his body for extended periods of time, but for once the feeling quickly wore off as he settled back into his chair.

"Sorry Ron," Ryou sighed, "He didn't mean it. I swear he would never do anything to you guys."

"Yeah, no." Ron nodded his head awkwardly, "I didn't think he would."

"I think if we're going to start looking at any of the teachers, we should start with Professor Cooper and Umbridge," Hermione sat down, pulling out some parchment and getting right to work, "Professor Snape too, considering his history ."

''Not it," Harry folded his arms, "But I don't think Umbridge will be too hard to get to, since she seems so interested in giving me detention. Cooper may be hard too, since he always seems to be heading off somewhere."

"We'll just have to find out where exactly he's going then," Hermione quickly scribbled a note.

Ryou followed along quietly, adding his input every now and again when it was needed. He hadn't been expecting these wizards to take so easily to the idea of their….unique situation. But then again, they still shared a common enemy, no matter how different their situations might be.

_((The enemy of my enemy…)) _Bakura's voice echoed lightly in the back of Ryou's head.

_(Then let's make sure we don't make enemies of them,)_ Ryou chided him back, _(We need all the help we can get.)_

"Now Ron," Hermione carried on, before looking up from her quickly filling parchment, "we may need a few- Hold on, is that Hermes?"

Four heads swiveled towards the window, looking directly at the small screech owl tapping impatiently on the glass to be let in. A frown etched its way onto Ron's face as he quietly stood from his seat and crossed the room to let the bird inside. The owl wasted no time landing neatly on the table they'd been working on, holding out a leg to which a letter was neatly attached.

"This day's been really strange," Ron muttered, as he clumsily undid the knot, "First, I find out two of my housemates are ancient wizards and now Percy's writing to me? I'm not sure which is stranger…."

As soon as the letter was free, Hermes quickly took his leave, qickly making his exit back through the still open window as Ron sat back to open the letter.

"It's from him alright," Ron turned the paper over in his hands, "It's Percy's handwriting."

"Well," Harry urged him, "Go on and open it!"

Ron tore open the envelope and started to read. It wasn't a second before an obvious look of distaste began to spread on his face, working itself deeper and deeper the further he read. At last, Ron finished the letter and thrust it out away from him for the other's to read. Ryou, Harry and Hermione leaned in so all three of them could see it at once, and it didn't take long to pinpoint the source of Ron's disgust.

_Dear Ron, _

_I have only just heard (from no less a person than the Minister of Magic himself, who has it from your new teacher, Professor Umbridge) that you have become a Hogwarts prefect. _

_I was most pleasantly surprised when I heard this news and must firstly offer my congratulations. I must admit that I have always been afraid that you would take what we might call the "Fred and George" route, rather than following in my footsteps, so you can imagine my feelings on hearing you have stopped flouting authority and have decided to shoulder some real responsibility. _

_But I want to give you more than congratulations, Ron, I want to give you some advice, which is why I am sending this at night rather than by the usual morning post. Hopefully you will be able to read this away from prying eyes and avoid awkward questions. _

_From something the Minister let slip when telling me you are now a prefect, I gather that you are still seeing a lot of Harry Potter. I must tell you, Ron, that nothing could put you in danger of losing your badge more than continued fraternization with that boy. Yes, I am sure you are surprised to hear this - no doubt you will say that Potter has always been Dumbledore's favourite - but I feel bound to tell you that Dumbledore may not be in charge at Hogwarts much longer and the people who count have a very different- and probably more accurate - view of Potter's behaviour. I shall say no more here, but if you look at the Daily Prophet tomorrow you will get a good idea of the way the wind is blowing - and see if you can spot yours truly! _

_Seriously, Ron, you do not want to be tarred with the same brush as Potter, it could be very damaging to you future prospects, and I am talking here about life after school too. As you must be aware, given that our father escorted him to court, Potter had a disciplinary hearing this summer in front of the whole Wizengamot and he did not come out of it looking too good. He got off on a mere technicality if you ask me and many of the people I've spoken to remain convinced of his guilt. _

_It may be that you are afraid to sever ties with Potter - I know that he can be unbalanced and, for all I know violent - but if you have any worries about this, or have spotted anything else in Potter's behaviour that is troubling you, I urge you to speak to Dolores Umbridge, a really delightful woman, who I know will be only too happy to advise you. _

_This leaves me to my other bit of advice. As I have hinted above, Dumbledore's regime at Hogwarts may soon be over. Your loyalty, Ron, should be not to him, but to the school and the Ministry. I am very sorry to hear that so far Professor Umbridge is encountering very little cooperation from staff as she strives to make those necessary changes within Hogwarts that the Ministry so ardently desires (although she should find this easier from next week - again, see the Prophet tomorrow!). I shall say only this- a student who shows himself willing to help Professor Umbridge now may be very well placed for Head Boyship in a couple of years (I hear you have a few new students in your house who I'm sure could use a strong example to follow. It may not be such a bad idea to get them set on the right foot)!_

_I am sorry that I was unable to see more of you over the summer. It pains me to criticize our parents, but I am afraid I can no longer live under their roof while they remain mixed up with the dangerous crowd around Dumbledore (if you are writing to Mother at any point, you might tell her that a certain Sturgis Podmore, who is a great friend of Dumbledore's, has recently been sent to Azkaban for trespass at the Ministry. Perhaps that will open their eyes to the kind of petty criminals with whom they are currently rubbing shoulders). I count myself very lucky to have escaped the stigma of association with such people - the Minister really could not be more gracious to me - and I do hope, Ron, that you will not allow family ties to blind you to the misguided nature of our parents' beliefs and actions either. I sincerely hope that, in time, they will realize how mistaken they were and I shall, of course, be ready to accept a full apology when that day comes. _

_Please think over what I have said most carefully, particularly the bit about Harry Potter, and congratulations again on becoming prefect. _

_Your brother, _

_Percy _

Ron tore the letter back from them almost as soon as they were done reading it, promptly tearing it into tiny bits and feeding them to the fire. Harry tried to make a joke out of it, rather than confront the truth of what had been discussed in its lines. But it set an uncomfortable feeling in Ryou that seemed to cast a dark cloud over the single ray of hope they'd found in their situation.

_((This…))_ Ryou heard Bakura say, _((Is going to complicate things.))_

Ryou nodded. It was hard enough getting around under the charge of the current headmaster, but if he read that letter correctly, it definitely sounded as though that toad-ish Professor Umbridge was well-placed to take control.

_(What do we do now?) _

_((What the letter says, Yandoushi,)) _Bakura sighed,_ ((We wait and see what tomorrow brings.))_

_

* * *

_

Gotc: Finally! Yes, yes, I apologize for the wait. I also apologize for the kinda boring chapter. I SWEAR THIS ALL HAS A POINT!

Ace: Suuuuuure it does…..

Gotc: You should hope so, 'cause your tail's going to be in it next chappie.

Ace: What do you mean! I don't want to-

Gotc: I'm sure you gentle readers remember where the best button on Earth is, yes? Press it and I'll get busy coming up with new and inventive ways of torturing Ace! Laters!


	30. A New World Order

Gotc: See? I can post in semi-regular intervals!...Sometimes…..

Ace: Ha. Three posts a year as opposed to two is not anywhere near a regular interval.

Gotc: And what would you know about it?

Ace: I'm in it. Unfortunately.

Gotc: Oh yeah! I forget how much tormenting you makes me happy! BUAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!

Ace: All the authors in the world, and I get stuck with you.

Gotc: Talk to a therapist. If you guys haven't noticed, I've tweaked the timing of some of the things that happen in the original book. Bear with me, I know things have been slow, but they get sooooooooooo much better from this point forward! MUAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHA!

Ace: Uh-huh. How long have you been saying that for now?

Gotc: I'm like in year two of this fic's progress right?

Ace: You're hopeless. WHALE! DISCLAIMER!

Squeaky: Squeak. (I have a name you know.)

Ace: Amazing how you think I care.

Squeaky: Squeak. (Fine, then I guess I won't tell you what happened to your toothbrush today.)

Ace: Wait, what-

Squeaky: Squeak! (Nothing owned here, except for Ace's soul! Keep reading and find out what happened to the toothbrush!)

Ace: WHAT DID YOU DO?

Gotc: Sigh….. by the way folks, if you had noticed, I did in fact use Percy's letter to Ron from the original book in my last chappie, though it was tweaked just a little ;D.

* * *

_Harry Potter and the Order of the Rising Dragon_

CHAPTER 29: A New World Order

Mornings weren't supposed to be stressful, but it wasn't a day at Hogwarts if it didn't start out that way Harry sighed to himself. Yugi wasn't the only one having odd dreams, and the only one he could ask about it was under house arrest for fear of being discovered. Still, in the midst of the chaos of detention with Delores Umbridge, he'd very plainly felt the pain lash across his forehead. Normally, he would have gone to Dumbledore, but since the Headmaster seemed to be otherwise preoccupied, here he was at the break of dawn trying to write a letter to Sirius and coming up with nothing.

Not that he didn't have enough to talk about. Umbridge, his scar, or the fact he'd just learned that two of his housemates were ancient Egyptian wizards. Hagrid had also been missing since the start of the term and had yet to make any kind of appearance, which also had him worried. It felt like he'd been at Hogwarts for a year rather than on his way to starting his second week. The sun nudged a little further past the horizon and urged him to put something down on paper before anyone started waking up. Dipping his quill into an ink bottle he finally pressed _its_ tip to the blank parchment and quickly scribbled a note.

_Dear Snuffles,_

_Hope you're ok, first week back's been terrible. Hoping this one will be better. New exchange students have really fit in well too. We've got two new Defense against the Dark Arts teachers this year, Professor Umbridge and Professor Cooper. Umbridge is nearly as nice as your mum, Cooper's still a bit of a mystery though. I'm writing to you because that thing that happened last summer happened again the other night while I was in detention with Umbridge._

_We're all still missing our biggest friend, we hold he'll be back soon._

_Please write back soon._

_Best,_

_Harry_

He looked over it a few times to make sure he hadn't put anything incriminating in the letter, before he sealed it up and started to head for the owlery before breakfast. The halls were still silent in the early morning hours, at least until a familiar voice came drifting though the empty corridors.

"Look, can you point the way to the stupid birds or not?" Malik's voice carried against the cold stone.

"I should say not, especially with that attitude." Nearly Headless Nick huffed, hovering just out of the reach of Malik's arm. Not that it would have mattered even if he was, but it was still an interesting sight to watch the Egyptian chuck whatever he managed to get his hands on at the resident ghost.

"Damnit! I just want to send this package!" The Egyptian fumed, lobbing a candle through the ghost's head.

"Having some trouble?" Harry chuckled a little, interrupting Malik's tirade.

"Harry!" Malik swiveled around, reaching for the next solid object within his grasp, "Grab one of these talking paint stains and help me will ya?"

A flourish of indignant chatter immediately rose up from the surrounding portraits, as the Gryffindor ghost slowly drifted higher clicking his tongue in disappointment.

"As if a member of the Gryffindor House would ever stoop to such levels of barbarism," Nick held his head high, "Not surprising to hear it come from a Slytherin though. Perhaps Mr. Potter would demonstrate how a civilized human being should act."

Harry shook his head, and clapped Malik on the shoulder to drag him off towards the owlery, rolling his eyes to help hide the grin forming on his face.

"Sure thing Sir Nicholas," Harry nearly laughed, as he pulled the Egyptian down the corridor, "We'll see you at breakfast."

Satisfied, it only took a moment before Nick's mutterings about manners were floating steadily away from the two as they headed in the other direction. Malik stopped for a moment to make a face at the retreating ghost's back before trotting to catch up with Harry.

"Thanks for that," Malik crammed his free hand into his pocket, "It would have been another week before I would have gotten an answer out of him."

"Sure thing," Harry shrugged, "I was on my way to mail a letter before classes myself. What'd you do to make Nick so mad at you anyway?"

"Called him Peeves." Malik shrugged, "I don't know how in Ra's name they expect us to tell the difference when they all are wearing the same bundles of lace and frills…."

A welcomed smirk crossed Harry's face, until his gaze drifted down to the package in Malik's other hand. It wasn't large by any means, but it did seem to give off a strange feeling that set the hairs on the back of his neck on end. Malik was supposed to have one of the Items Hermione was talking about, and he and Bakura seemed the type to be very apt to use them.

"Did you um-"

"Jinx it?" Malik's eyes flashed mischievously, "Something like that. A jinx might have been a little nicer though. Still, there's important stuff here and we need to be sure it gets to the right person."

"Those scans, right?" Harry gestured, "Hermione told us something about them having to do with why Yugi was in the hospital wing."

"We're hoping it's that simple," Malik grunted, pushing open the door to the owlery, "But we won't know until we can get them translated properly."

Harry glanced up into the tower, looking for the telltale white flash that normally gave away Hedwig's presence, when a mewl and brush of fur at his legs caused a pause in his step. Mrs. Norris turned her yellowed eyes on the two students before bounding off back they way they'd just came, her tail twitching excitedly as if she'd just caught her prey in a well planned trap.

"What was that about," Malik scoffed, stretching out an arm for a school own to rest on, "It's not like we were doing anything wrong."

"I have no clue," Harry shrugged, finally spotting Hedwig as the bird came swooping down to alight on his shoulder.

He wasted no time tying the letter to her leg, and carrying her over to the window. They weren't doing anything wrong, but that didn't mean he wanted to have to explain a cryptic letter to the suspicious caretaker. Malik seemed to be having a bit more trouble with his bird, who seemed to move or shift just when he was about to tie the final knot to secure the parcel. A muted string of Egyptian curses floated around the tower for a moment, before he finally managed to attach the thing and sent the owl off without any great love.

Harry slouched against the windowsill watching the two fly off until they were little more than specks on the horizon. Malik joined him, his apprehension nearly palpable as they saw the two off into the morning. It was when they were just about ready to leave, when something shifted a bit closer to the ground. The treetops of the Forbidden Forrest swayed lightly in the morning breeze, but like the fin of a shark, a pair of great leathery wings broke the leafy surface and disappeared again beneath them just as quickly.

"Did you see that?" Harry nearly threw himself out the window to try and catch another glimpse.

"I sure did," Malik craned his neck to get another angle, "I looked like it might have been one of those horse things that pulled the carriages to the castle that first night."

"Hold on," Harry turned to face him, "You saw those too?"

"Well yeah," Malik shrugged, "I didn't think they were some kind of secret."

"Ron and Hermione couldn't see them," Harry said, "I thought I was going crazy."

"Cheer up then," Malik laughed, throwing an arm around Harry's shoulders, "If that's the case, you're in good company."

The door behind them opened with a sudden bang, and a flustered Cho Chang stood in the doorway holding a small package under her arm.

"Oh," She said with a note of surprise in her voice, "I didn't think anyone would be up here this early."

Harry stiffened, his brain seeming to grind to a halt as he fumbled around for something to say. Malik seemed to pick up on Harry's sudden unease and took the opportunity to excuse himself.

"No problem," Malik grinned, nudging Harry in the ribs, "I was on my way out. See you at breakfast Harry!"

"Yeah," Harry muttered at Malik's retreating form, as the Egyptian left he and Cho very much alone, "See you at breakfast."

* * *

Ryou rubbed his head wearily as he stared at the cooling food in front of him. A full night's sleep and yet he still felt like he'd been hit by a bus. He had the sneaking suspicion that it had to do with a certain Thief King, but he was almost certain that the spirit had been locked away in his room since his last appearance the night before. Still, it wouldn't hurt to ask him whenever Bakura decided to grace him with his presence. A sudden slap on the table in front of him shook Ryou out of his reverie, and the sudden fly-catching smile spread across the entire front page of the newspaper brought him crashing back into reality.

"We have a problem." Hermione said darkly, taking a seat across from him.

"Hogwarts High Inquisitor?" Ryou read the headline in disbelief, smoothing out the paper as if it would somehow change the text, "What is that?"

"Doesn't sound good whatever it is," Ron muttered sleepily, picking up a nearby piece of toast as he sat down.

"In a surprise move last night the Ministry of Magic passed new legislation giving itself an unprecedented level of control at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry," Hermione read, her voice shaking angrily despite her attempts to keep it calm and level.

"'The Minister has been growing uneasy about goings-on at Hogwarts for some time,' said Junior Assistant to the Minister Percy Weasley. 'He is now responding to concerns voiced by anxious parents, who feel the school may be moving in a direction they do not approve.'

"This is not the first time in recent weeks Fudge has used new laws to effect improvements at the wizarding school. As recently as August 30th Educational Decree Twenty-two was passed, to ensure that, in the event of the current headmaster being unable to provide a candidate for a teaching post, the Ministry should select an appropriate person.

"'That's how Dolores Umbridge came to be appointed to the teaching staff at Hogwarts,' said Weasley last night. 'Dumbledore couldn't find anyone, so the Minister put in Umbridge and of course, she's been an immediate success, totally revolutionizing the teaching of Defense Against the Dark Arts and providing the Minister with on-the-ground feedback about what's really happening at Hogwarts.'

"It is this last function that the Ministry has now formalized with the passing of Educational Decree Twenty-three, which creates the new position of 'Hogwarts High Inquisitor'.

"'This is an exciting new phase in the Minister's plan to get to grips with what some are calling the "falling standards" at Hogwarts,' said Weasley. 'The Inquisitor will have powers to inspect her fellow educators and make sure that they are coming up to scratch. Professor Umbridge has been offered this position in addition to her own teaching post, and we are delighted to say that she has accepted.'

"The Ministry's new moves have received enthusiastic support from parents of students at Hogwarts.

"'I feel much easier in my mind now that I know that Dumbledore is being subjected to fair and objective evaluation,' said Lucius Malfoy, 41, speaking from his Wiltshire mansion last night. 'Many of us with our children's best interests at heart have been concerned about some of Dumbledore's eccentric decisions in the last few years and will be glad to know that the Ministry is keeping an eye on the situation.'

"Among those 'eccentric decisions' are undoubtedly the controversial staff appointments previously described in this newspaper, which have included the hiring of werewolf Remus Lupin, half-giant Rubeus Hagrid, and delusional ex-Auror 'Mad-Eye' Moody.

"Rumors abound, of course, that Albus Dumbledore, once Supreme Mugwump of the International Confederation of Wizards and Chief Warlock of the Wizengamot, is not longer up to the task of managing the prestigious school of Hogwarts. "'I think the appointment of the Inquisitor is a first step toward ensuring that Hogwarts has a headmaster in whom we can all repose confidence,' said a Ministry insider last night.

"Wizengamot elders Griselda Marchbanks and Tiberius Ogden have resigned in protest at the introduction of the post of Inquisitor to Hogwarts.

"'Hogwarts is a school, not an outpost of Cornelius Fudge's office,' said Madam Marchbanks. 'This is a further disgusting attempt to discredit Albus Dumbledore.' (For a full account of Madam Marchbanks' alleged links to subversive goblin groups, turn to page 17)." Her voice cut out in disgust at last, as Hermione thrust the paper away from her, "That horrible woman! She's going to be inspecting the other teachers!"

"Oh I can't wait," Ron smirked, "I just hope I'm there when she inspects McGonagall. The Toad won't know what hit her."

Hermione rolled her eyes and went back to the paper, her gaze raking through the pages for any sign of a more hopeful situation. The pink toad herself was floating about the Teacher's table looking rather pleased with herself, engaging Professor Sprout in what appeared to be a very one-sided conversation. Ryou's attention didn't linger long on the professor, as he caught a glimpse of tri-colored hair making its way across the room tailed by Kaiba and Malik.

"Check out what I found wandering the halls," Malik snickered flopping down at the Gryffindor table, ignoring the indignant looks from its occupants, "Kaiba actually went to pick Yugi up from the doctor!"

"Can it, Desert Rat," Kaiba growled, as Yugi stifled a laugh with a coughing fit, "Some little gremlin was sitting on my bedpost this morning and told me that the nurse wouldn't release Yugi unless someone was with him, in case he passed out again on the way down here."

"House elves are NOT gremlins!" Hermione shot back at Kaiba, "They are living creatures just like anyone else and if Madam Pomfrey sent one-"

"Way to go mate," Ron rolled his eyes, "She'll be going on about S.P.E.W. for the rest of the day now…."

Harry chose that moment to come drifting in to the Hall, almost in a daze as he wound his way through the throngs of people crowding in for breakfast before classes. It was a feat in itself for him to find a seat in his state, but it was another to watch as he nearly sat down at the Slytherin table.

"About time…" Malik grinned, spying Cho sneaking in the door, "You two, ah…"

"No," Harry said, though he couldn't get the grin entirely off his face.

"Think she knows anything?" Ron asked, finishing his toast.

"Who?" Harry looked up.

"Madam Pomfrey. And I wouldn't be surprised," Hermione handed the paper over to Kaiba, "She's not stupid, but she doesn't pry either. I don't think we have to be too concerned. Not right now anyway. How are you feeling…. Yugi?"

"Not bad," Yugi said, surprised at how he actually meant it. For the first time since he'd come to Hogwarts, he'd loaded up his plate, feeling as if he hadn't eaten in weeks. The headache that had become his constant companion was still dwelling somewhere on the skirts of his senses, but its attention seemed to be focused on something else besides making his life miserable.

"What in the hell is this!" Kaiba exclaimed, slamming the paper onto the table, scaring a few first years. Glances from the surrounding tables turned Kaiba's way, only to be met with an icy stare that meant he was in no mood to deal with onlookers.

"A problem." Ryou sighed, stealing another glance at the Head Table, "Umbridge now has full permission to all but take over the school."

"No, that's not a problem," Malik frowned, grabbing the paper to read the headline for himself, "That is what we like to call a full-blown clusterf-"

"Now Mr. Ishtar," An amused baritone chuckled behind them, "I certainly hope I won't be forced to take points from Slytherin for a slip of the tongue."

Professor Cooper stood smirking behind the small group, or more specifically behind Malik. The tomb keeper glanced around behind Cooper and to both sides of him, as if he would catch a glimpse as to how the muggle professor managed to sneak up on him.

"Mr. Motou," Cooper addressed Yugi, after giving Malik a satisfied look, "Glad to see you're feeling better."

"Thank you Professor," Yugi nodded his head slightly. It crossed his mind as odd that news of his stay in the Hospital Wing had reached Cooper so fast, but passing out in the middle of a group of teachers was bound to spread like wildfire, so he dismissed the thought in favor of a new question that came to mind. "What brings you to the Great Hall? I don't think I've seen you in here except once or twice."

"Ah, I'm looking for Professor Flitwick actually," Cooper craned his neck to glance about the room, "I need some help on a project and I've been told he's the man to see…..only problem is….well, I don't."

"What kind of project?" Kaiba asked, a hint of suspicion in his voice.

"Heh heh," The professor chuckled, "Can't tell ya'. You'll find out soon enough anyway, but uh, I suggest you stay out of the Hospital Wing, Yugi. A doctor's note isn't going to get you out of my class."

"I'll remember that Professor." Yugi grinned.

"Good, now if you'll excuse me," Cooper started to walk in the direction of the staff table, "I do believe I've found what I'm looking for. Professor Flitwick! There you are…"

Even the booming voice of the new professor was quickly lost amongst the din of the Great Hall as he moved off. Malik muttered something under his breath, and went back to the paper, though occasionally his gaze would drift to the muggle's new seat at the other end of the hall. Yugi couldn't help but laugh in between bites of food at his friend as he watcher Professor Cooper and Flitwick become engrossed in conversation. Ryou looked up too, his mood lightening a little at Malik's suspicion.

"He seems to have taken a liking to you four," Hermione pointed out, busying herself with breakfast.

"We're more familiar with his world than this one," Kaiba reasoned, "We are getting used to a whole new way of life just as he is, so it makes sense he'd be looking out for us."

"But is it in a good way?" She argued back, "We still don't know who we can trust-"

"Guys," Malik hissed, quickly getting to his feet, "You gotta follow me. This is going to be great."

"What? What is it?" Ron frowned, but following suit.

"Umbridge just spotted Cooper."

* * *

He'd never teach again. Ever.

It wasn't that Hogwarts was full of bad kids; as a matter of fact, Ace was surprised at how enthusiastically some of them had taken to their first lesson. There was a decent group of the snake kids he was going to have trouble with though…Slytherins. Obstinate bunch. No, entitled seemed to be more like it. From what he could tell, most of the kids in that whole house came from one prestigious wizarding family or another and had never had to earn a single thing in their lives. It wasn't the first time he'd dealt with a stubborn case, but it was a first to teach so many. His craft wasn't one to be taught en masse like some evening pee wee karate league, but they did need to be taught.

And therein was the problem.

One on one was the only way to really pound in what they needed to know, but the little time he had was nowhere near enough for that. Which meant he needed to enlist a little…..creative thought. Which was why he needed Professor Flitwick. He he'd spent the better part of the week hunting down the parts he needed, but the diminutive professor was his best shot of getting any of it working again.

"I must say my dear boy," Flitwick looked over Ace's hand drawn sketches of what he needed to be done, "This is quite the undertaking."

"I know," Ace nodded, biting into a pear, "But it's all I could think of on such short notice."

"Oh-ho! You misunderstand!" Flitwick clapped him on the back, "It's brilliant! I haven't had a good challenge like this myself in quite some time! I mean it's not often you get someone wanting to-"

"Hem hem."

Both men stopped and looked up at the mass of pink velour and frills that had taken up residence just behind Professor Cooper's seat. Flitwick regarded the Minister's aide with an impassive glance and turned back to the paper in front of him scribbling notes, while Ace faced Umbridge with a pleasant grin.

"Good morning Professor," Ace greeted her warmly, "How can I help you?"

"I was simply stopping by to make sure you have been fully informed of all recent events," She smirked, "And that you had properly received the date of your evaluation."

Ace's grin faded to an expression of confusion, which only served to fuel Umbridge's obviously euphoric mood.

"I'm afraid you're going to have to catch me up," Ace frowned, "Dumbledore hasn't mentioned anything about an evaluation-"

"Yes, well if you would have read today's paper," Umbridge interrupted him, "Then you would have seen that I have been appointed the High Inquisitor of Hogwarts by the Minister of Magic, and to oversee the quality of the education all students are receiving during their years here."

"High Inquisitor?" Ace almost laughed, causing an indignant flush of pink to rise in her face. Flitwick actually had to turn away from the two to adjust the hem of his robes to hide a snicker as Ace continued on. "Didn't the inquisition end in the 1800's? I mean, being a witch in a school for magic kind of seems like you would know that already-"

"As I said before, _Professor_," Umbridge hissed, the gloating all but gone from her voice as she struggled to remain composed, "If you had but read this morning's paper-"

"Well that's the problem right there," Ace waved her off, going back to his business, "I don't bother with a newspaper anymore. After all, you read a paper to learn things you don't know, so if you don't know what you don't know, how can you be sure you're getting the right information in the first place?"

"Well, I think-"

"If you're going to learn about something new, you should be the one to discover it for yourself," Ace continued on, "Wouldn't you think?"

"As a matter of fact-"

"I mean, that's the whole basis for the principle of education isn't it? Giving young minds the tools to discover the world for themselves? What good is a newspaper to force feed them information they would most likely discover on their own?" Ace spoke more to himself than anyone else, before looking back up at Umbridge again, "Anyway, pardon the philosophy. I'm sure you have more to do than to sit here and listen to me, what with your new promotion and all. I can imagine you must be very busy. So, I'll see you in a few days for my evaluation then, yes?"

"Umm.." Umbridge stammered, slowly moving away as if she'd just woken up from a daze, "Yes, yes of course. I'd stay and chat longer, but I am very busy this morning, so I'll leave you to it then."

Ace nodded his head politely as she walked off and settled back in his seat. He did covertly follow her across the room with his gaze until she was nearly at the other end of the Great Hall when he noticed Flitwick staring at him with a look of complete awe and astonishment.

"What?" Ace asked.

"How in Merlin's beard did you do that?" Flitwick gaped.

"I'm sorry," Ace smirked innocently, "Do what?"

Flitwick snorted, a smile still working through his features as he continued to make adjustments to Ace's original design on his sketch. Ace leaned back in over the table, quietly finishing off his breakfast and wiping the juice off of his fingers as he observed his fellow professor.

"So do you think it's possible?" Ace said, lowering his voice ever so slightly.

"More than, I should think." Flitwick nodded forcefully, starting to get up, "If you've got everything here, I may even be able to have everything ready by your first class!"

"Perfect!" Ace said, rising from his seat to follow, "How can I repay you for this?"

"Tell me how you sent Umbridge off like that and we'll call it even?"

"My friend," Ace laughed, "Get this done as fast as you say, and I'll teach you every last trick in the book."

* * *

If week one had been as miserable as it was obligatorily seeing Umbridge just once, then the rest of the year was shaping up to be something straight from a B-rated horror movie. It didn't matter if the rag-tag group of wizards split off to their individual classes, or if they converged into one, the new Inquisitor seemed to haunt their very shadows through every class. No matter where they turned, she lingered with them like a bad smell. One that only got worse when they finally made it to the dim room that house their Defense against the Dark Arts class. Harry looked up as Yugi, Hermione and Ryou joined him and Ron while the rest of the class got seated.

"You seen her today?" Ryou whispered to Harry, as he pulled out his book.

"Yeah, she almost had Trelawney in tears," Harry nodded.

He was about to elaborate when a syrupy-sweet 'wands away' interrupted them as Umbridge came brushing past. There was a groan of disappointment as everyone resigned themselves to another class of reading a book that would have bored a two-year old.

"As we finished chapter one last lesson, I would like all of you to turn to page nineteen and commence reading Chapter Two: Common Defensive and Their Derivations. There will be no need to talk."

Umbridge sat at her desk with a self-satisfied grin on her face, as the rest of the class settled in to their fates for the rest of the period. But two at the very front didn't move, aside from a single hand being thrust into the air. Harry glanced up from his book, and snuck a glance over at Hermione who waited patiently to be recognized, and at Yugi….or was it Yami?...At any rate, the teen sat just as still with his arms folded across his chest, leveling a steady gaze at Umbridge until she finally rose from her seat to walk to the row where they sat. Ryou had seemed to notice as well and was far more conspicuous to catch a glimpse of what was unfolding, but judging by the look on his face, he was just as confused about the proceedings as anyone.

((_What in the hell is the Pharaoh doing?))_ Bakura frowned, watching Umbridge draw closer, _((The self-righteous son-of-a-bitch tells us to lay low? What in the hell does he call this?))_

"I wonder…" Umbridge said, her grin still fixed in place, leaning in so closer to the two that only they could hear the conversation, "If either of you plan on opening the book at all this year?"

"Actually," Yami said very calmly, matching her volume, "I was wondering if you were planning to teach us all year?"

"Excuse me?" Umbridge balked, he smile faltering.

"Pardon my bluntness," Yami said politely, "But I've never been one to simply read how it's done. It's always lead to disaster."

"Does it now?" Umbridge smirked, as if she thought his opinion on the matter cute, "And you Miss Granger?"

"I've already read the chapter," Hermione said, not bothering to lower her voice.

"Then proceed to chapter three."

"I've already read the whole book."

There was a pause, though Umbridge still maintained her composure, but with a dangerous glint in her eye.

"Well then, perhaps you could tell me what Slinkhard says about counter-jinxes in chapter fifteen." Umbridge said sweetly.

"He says that counter-jinxes are improperly named," Hermione recited right on cue, "He thinks that 'counter-jinx' is just a name people use to make jinxes more acceptable."

There was a moment of satisfaction as an impressed look passed on Umbridge's face, though she hadn't meant to show it. It didn't last long, as Hermione sought to follow through with her own thoughts on the matter.

"But I disagree." She said. The temperature in the room seemed to drop several degrees as she uttered those three words.

"You disagree?" Umbridge repeated, as if she and the rest of the class hadn't heard her quite clearly.

"Yes, Mr. Slinkhard doesn't seem to like jinxes very much," She said very matter-of-factly, "But I think that they are extremely useful when used defensively."

"I see," Umbridge stood up and straightened her robes, "Well be that as it may, I'm afraid it is Mr. Slinkhard's opinions that matter in this class and not yours."

"But-"

"That will be more than enough," Umbridge silenced her, "And I will be taking five points from Gryffindor."

Any pretence of 'learning' was suddenly dropped and an angry round of muttering went up at the announcement.

"What for?" Harry added his voice to the ongoing discussion.

Yami shot Harry a look that plainly meant for him to be quiet, followed by a pleading one from Hermione. Unfortunately the gloating grin on Umbridge's face as she flashed him a satisfied smile was more than he could stand.

"For disrupting my class with pointless interruptions," She said, her voice carrying an edge with it, "I am here to teach you a Ministry-approved method that does not include students to give their opinions on matters that they know very little about. Your previous teachers may have allowed you more license, but I'm quite sure of them could have passed a Ministry inspection, with the exception of Professor Quirrel who at least seemed to restrict to age-appropriate material-"

"Yeah," Harry agreed bitterly, "He was a great teacher alright, only he had the little problem of having Voldermort sticking out of the back of his head."

For the entire room to have fallen silent, Harry was a little surprised it wasn't quieter, until he realized the noise was the sound of his blood rushing through his ears. Umbridge looked as if she'd just caught a particular juicy fly by the smile that was on her face, but it was an interesting shade of pink that flushed in her cheeks.

"I think another week's worth of detentions will do you some good, Mr. Potter." She said neatly.

She looked back to the class about to say something else, but caught the chilling glare that was held in Yami's eyes. What made it worse was the fact that the exchange student seemed to be on the verge of laughter, despite the deathly silence around them.

"Is there something funny about this Mr. Motou?" She asked, "Something you'd like to share?"

_/Bakura's going to kill you for this./ _Yugi warned, not taking his eyes off of Umbridge.

_/I know./_

"I guess it's not really," He shrugged, "But I have to say that I would very much like to meet these people at this Ministry of yours. After all, it's not every day you hear about so many cowards gathering in one place at once."

Yami could almost imagine Ryou's look of astonishment suddenly melting away into an expression of pure rage, simply because he could feel the Thief King's eyes boring holes into the side of his skull. That and there was a brief moment where he could have sworn he heard a rather creative expletive echo somewhere in his mind.

"Mr. Motou…." Umbridge said, her voice almost shaking, "I think you might want to head back to the Hospital Wing. I can't imagine you must be feeling well enough to be back in class so soon…"

"Well I am a little sick to my stomach," Yami admitted, "But I believe it's from the utter lack of any real concern for the wellbeing of any student who passes though this room. I have to say, I've met some real spineless people, but to go so far as to convince an entire population that a serious threat looming over their heads is a lie because they're too afraid to confront it? That has to take the cake."

Umbridge's face turned purple, as Yami's grin deepened and he continued on.

"The only thing that could _possibly_ be worse," Yami did begin to laugh as if the whole idea were absurd, " is anyone who would actually buy into that load of bullsh-"

"DETENTION!" Umbridge roared, a vein above her eye clearly visible, as she reached a decibel no one had though her capable of hitting, "You will see me every evening in my office for an entire month. Do you understand me!"

"Absolutely." Yami said, just as calmly as before as the class once again came to an end with no one even glimpsing at their books.

Yami quickly packed his things, but not without avoiding Harry.

"You didn't need to do that," Harry hissed at him, though there was a note of gratefulness in his voice.

"Yes, I did," Yami nodded, throwing his bag over his shoulder and walking out of the class, commanding the sudden respect of every person in the room.

_((THEN I SURE AS HELL HOPE YOU HAVE A DAMN GOOD REASON FOR IT!))_Bakura all but screamed into his head.

_/Yugi?/_Yami winced, as Bakura forced his way through the throngs of kids trying to get as far away from Umbridge as possible. He had murder written all over his face that worked quite nicely to deter people out of his way.

_/Oh no./_ Yugi held up his hands,_ /I _told_ you this would happen if we didn't tell him./_

_/I know, but now I'm just wondering if Umbridge would still give detention to a corpse…/_

_/I think you're about to find out./_

* * *

Gotc: Ahhhhhhhh…. Done. And I made it long, to make up for the lack of postings and whatnot. More mysteries here, obviously, but unlike the rest of the fic where I tell you nothing, you get to find out what Ace has planned for everyone and what possessed Yami to sentence himself to a month of hell. But that's next chappie, which is almost finished believe it or not. College can really get in the way of internet time…

So anyway, let me know what you thought, the good, bad and ugly. Slap it in a review, and the more I get, the less college will seem to matter (hint hint wink wink). Laters!


	31. Envy

Gotc: Well hello there everyone!

Ace: Do they even remember who you are?

Gotc: Why wouldn't they-

Ace: It's been almost two years since your last update.

Gotc: It has no- Oh…so it has.

Ace: Have you not been paying attention to the pleading and, at times, threatening reviews?

Gotc: I though Squeaky was taking care of that.

Squeaky: Squeak. (Shhhh… Playing Minecraft.)

Gotc: Oh. Ok, well I have an excellent excuse for my absence. I've been in the thick of finishing the first novel of what I hope to be a three book series. Yes, Ace is in it. Except not quite as you might(or might not) know him. In fact…. If you're curious, the first few chapters are up over on FictionPress! Just look me up(same penname)! I'm always looking for feedback-

Ace: Can you say: "Shameless plug?"

Gotc: Oh shush. I just thought it might give people something else to read while I work on more chapters.

Ace: Or, and just follow me here, you could just write faster.

Gotc: Remind me to make your life miserable later-

Ace: Too late.

Gotc:…Because I think these good people have waited long enough for an update so… Squeaky-

Squeaky: *clickclickclickclickclick*

Gotc: Nevermind. I own nothing here folks…except Ace. But you knew that. Now get to reading and enjoy!

* * *

_Harry Potter and the Order of the Rising Dragon_

CHAPTER 30: Envy

To Bakura's credit, he waited until they were around the corner and well out of sight of any passer-bys before he tried to wring Yami's throat.

"What in Ra's bloody name were you thinking?" Bakura wanted to scream, but settled for seething the words through his teeth and tightening his grip on the King of Games' neck. "Just because these three know about us and the Items, you want to give the Toad a reason to start an inquisition on all of us?"

Yami tried to pull at Bakura's hand for a second, before he brought his knee into Bakura's gut to get the Thief King to release his grip and let air return to his lungs before he blacked out. Yami hit his knees as air flooded back into his body while Bakura doubled over for a minute. Harry, Ron and Hermione watched the exchange, not exactly wanting to get in the middle of their feud, but when Bakura lunged at Yami again, and the former Pharaoh reached for the magic of the Puzzle, it became clear someone else needed to step in.

"Ok, that's enough!" Harry stepped in front of the livid spirits, pulling his wand, "Killing each other isn't going to solve anything, especially if you two end up taking half the school with you!"

"Then why don't you point that little stick at _his _head, mortal!" Bakura growled, gesturing to Yami, "Before he decides he needs to parade around the school and show off his Millennuim Item too!"

"Yami," Hermione spoke up, "I'm with Bakura on this. I don't get why you would just…blatantly attack Umbridge like that. It's not like you didn't know what would happen."

"Because he's a hypocrite!" Bakura snarled, holding his now aching side, "I think he's a damn masochist who can't stand it if he's not at the center of attention every waking moment-"

"Did the sun bleach out what was left of your brain, Thief?" Yami looked up, obviously angry, but not meeting Bakura's volume, "I knew exactly what I was getting into! In all the time you've known me, when have I _ever _done anything without first having a plan?"

"Oh?" Bakura scoffed, "So what was this _brilliant _plan, oh King of Games?"

"I think... Umbridge might have something to do with the flashes."

In the few moments of silence that followed, the lack of any noise or reaction was far worse than the chaos that had reigned just before it.

"So…," Bakura stammered for a moment, trying to focus on what he'd just been told, "You decided that leaving us all in the dark about this would be your best course of action!"

"I knew you would have been right in the middle of it with me if I told you beforehand." Yami said, pulling himself back up to his feet to lock eyes with the Thief King, "And trust me. I didn't need your help to-"

Bakura's face contorted in rage for a split second before his fist passed between the three wizards to crush into Yami's face. The Pharaoh slumped back against the wall, and dazedly put a hand to where he'd been struck to see it come away red with blood. Ron and Harry stepped in to ensure that Bakura didn't have a second shot at him, but the Tomb Robber had been satiated for the moment, even as he turned on his heal and stormed off through the emptying castle corridors.

Yami watched him go, and waited until Bakura was nowhere to be seen before slowly getting to his feet, making sure not to jostle his head too much. Hermione put and arm around him to help him up, earning a grateful glance from the spirit. He swore mentally to himself, as the blood continued to pour from his nose and the new split in his lower lip, knowing he'd have to return to Madam Pomfrey to get it taken care of, or draw more attention to himself.

"You alright?" Harry asked, offering a hand to help steady him.

"Not for lack of trying," Yami smiled bitterly, "It's not the first time it's happened at any rate."

"I don't get it," Ron shook his head, "What is with you two? I've never seen people who claim to be friends, absolutely hate each other before."

"It's what happens when the people you associate with have tried to kill you at one point or another." Yami sighed, trying to staunch the blood with his robes.

"You're joking."

"Bakura's tried on more than one occasion."

"So it's not them who's crazy, it's you for not realizing when it's time to cut them loose!" Ron said, "Bakura's right! You are a masochist!"

Yami shook his head and laughed, though the sound was devoid of humor.

"I know it's hard to understand, I'm not even sure I do at times," Yami tried to explain, "But those of us who hold these Items? We're connected together, even though we may not like it."

"More like someone handcuffed ya' and threw out the key," Harry said.

"Perhaps that's a better way of looking at it," Yami grinned, wincing as the gesture tugged at his swelling lip, "At any rate, I needed to get into detention with Umbridge again to find out what it is that's causing these flashes. I knew it was already going to be bad, and I didn't want Bakura digging himself into a pit with me. If we're going to find out what's destroying the seal on my memories before it deteriorates completely, we can't all be stuck in that woman's office at the same time."

"So you were protecting him?" Hermione asked, a little bewildered, "He's tried to _kill_ you, and you're protecting him?"

Yami shrugged his shoulders. It did sound like he'd lost his mind somewhere along the way with that kind of reasoning, but it was still the truth.

"I doubt he sees it like that. Bakura's never been one to accept help from people. But memories or not, I am the Nameless Pharaoh of Egypt, and it is my duty to protect those around me in the best way I can.

Ron shook his head as they headed in the direction of the Medical Wing before Yami needed a transfusion.

"I'm sure glad as hell I didn't live with you guys back then."

"WHO IN THE HELL DOES HE THINK HE IS!"

The door to the Astronomy Tower flew open to crash against the stonework with a booming echo in the stairwell, though no one was around to hear the noise. Given the mood the King of Thieves had found himself in, it probably wasn't a bad thing.

_(You didn't have to hit him Bakura,) _Ryou chided his spirit.

_((Oh, forgive me for touching the mighty Son of Ra himself,))_ Bakura spat bitterly, _((Perhaps next time I'll resign myself to clicking my tongue with a disapproving glare!))_

_(I didn't say you didn't have a right to be upset with Yami, Bakura,) _Ryou sighed in exasperation, _(But Yugi is going to be the one to feel that in the morning more than Yami, and _he _certainly didn't deserve to be on the receiving end of your temper.)_

_((Then the little runt should learn to control his other half!))_

_(Oh, you mean like us?)_

Bakura snarled and rounded on Ryou's transparent form that had materialized a few feet away from him. A year ago, the boy would have been firmly locked in his soul room, leaving Bakura to do what he liked without him playing Jiminy Cricket. As of late, he'd been getting far better at slipping past Bakura's defenses to linger over his shoulder. An unfortunate side-effect of sharing close quarters with the King of Thieves.

_((Why do you care about this anyway Yandoushi? What is it to you if I have a problem with the Ra-Be-Damned Pharaoh? It isn't like this is a new development-))_

_(But our situation is!) _Ryou stopped him, _(Like it or not, we've never been in these kind of circumstances before. And Yami knows you. It's how he is, and you know it. The Pharaoh can read people and it's what he's good at. He knew exactly what you do if you found out he was trying to piss off Umbridge, and you punching him in the face didn't hurt him so much as it proved him right!)_

Bakura said nothing, but instead took a menacing step forward with murder written on his face. Ryou swallowed hard, despite the fact there was nothing that Bakura could do to physically harm him. He still remembered the days before he'd met Yugi, and Bakura had been more than capable in finding inventive ways at making his then newly found host behaving.

Bakura's scowl now reminded him of those days. Ryou wanted to flinch and look away, but something kept him solidly in place. But Bakura kept right on walking through him, never looking back, to throw himself on the bulwarks of the tower and look out over the landscape stretched out before him. His grimace never left his face, but there was something else buried in his features that was difficult for Ryou to read.

_((Just leave me alone.))_

000000000000000000000000

Yami sat patiently in detention scribbling useless lines that had all started to blend together in unintelligible squiggles after the first hour. His nose throbbed painfully, making him and his lighter half wince. Madam Pomfrey had stopped the bleeding, but she'd given him such a lecture about returning to her care so soon after she'd seen him off that morning; he'd slipped away without bothering to ask her to do any more than that. The result was a still broken nose and a swollen lip which seemed to be of endless amusement for the toadish professor if the wider than normal grin on her face was anything to judge by.

Harry beside him was having no easier time, the words scrawled on the back of his hand standing out in angry red lines. Yami had almost done away with the vile woman for subjecting his friend to such a twisted punishment, but such judgment was not his place. Perhaps in Egypt, but not here. Besides, he still needed her if Umbridge was truly the source for all of his flashes. But as the long night wore on, the long hours had proved to be utterly fruitless, and he had an entire month to look forward to being in her festering presence.

"You should get that hand of yours looked at," Yami spoke up once they were finally free of her clutches.

"It's nothing. It's already healing, see?" Harry insisted holding up his hand to expose the fading lines, "And you're the one who still needs medical attention, not me."

"It's that bad, huh?"

"Bakura has a hell of a right hook."'

"Heh. You're telling me…" Yami grimaced, gingerly rubbing the side of his face. It was only a moment longer though until the light tone fell from his voice, to be replaced by a heavy sigh.

Harry snuck a glance at his companion, the sudden change in Yami's demeanor almost causing a physical change in the atmosphere that made the hall feel dank and uninviting. What made things worse, was the unfortunate fact he could identify all too easily with the feeling. It seemed to follow him around in fact, but then again so did Voldermort and to the detriment of everyone around him.

"What's it like?" Harry asked quietly, unwelcome memories of Cedric welling up in the forefront of his mind.

"I'm sorry?" Yami blinked once, raising his head to meet the young wizard's gaze.

"Not having your memories," Harry clarified, "Not having to think about what happened before you met Yugi-"

"It's a special kind of hell I would never wish upon another human being." Yami stopped Harry before he could finish his thought, "My friends have all suffered at my expense because of enemies I did not even know I had, because I couldn't remember how to properly use the power that's supposedly sealed within the Millennium Puzzle, because I made a decision all those millennia ago and I can't even remember what drove me to it in the first place."

Harry quickly fell quiet and shoved both hands into his pockets, keeping a fixed gaze at the hall in front of him.

"You and I aren't really that different," Yami said, continuing on, "We both have our demons, parts of our past we have no control over that haunt us to this day. Things that put our friends in the line of fire. The only difference between you and I, is that you still know of the dangers that are waiting for you."

"I thought the phrase was 'ignorance is bliss'."

"For most people," Yami shrugged, "But I don't think we quite fall in that category do we?"

"I guess not." Harry sighed, "Still you can't tell me it's not easier not knowing who's got a target on your forehead."

"You think it would be better for misfortune to strike without warning." Yami guessed.

"Other people seem to be content with not knowing. It just gets to be crushing after a while, always having this feeling of impending doom hanging over my head." Harry shrugged, his shoulders sagging with the weight of the thought.

Yami grinned and laid a hand on Harry's shoulder, earning himself a quizzical glance from the young wizard.

"But you get through it." Yami pointed out, "You may hate it, but it's that feeling that drives you to prepare and brace yourself for when the worst does strike. Yes, such a position may put those closest to you in danger, but it also puts you in a far better position to protect them as well. That's something I envy you for."

Harry let a small smile come to his face. No one had ever been 'envious' of his lot in life. Sure, they would have perhaps liked the fame of being the "Boy-Who-Lived", but when it came to upholding the title, even Dumbledore seemed to pity him. There was no such look in the ancient king's eyes who walked next to him now.

Neither one said another word until they reached the portrait hole. The Fat Lady swung open with a muttering of the password letting the two step inside, but before Harry limbed through, he hesitated for just a moment.

"Thank you." He said quietly.

A wry grin spread on Yami's face.

"If we survive the next week with that witch, you can thank me then." The Pharaoh smirked as he followed his fellow Gryffindor through for some much needed rest.

Having detention with Umbridge was a lot like having a cold. It just seemed to get worse as time went on. Every stroke of that horrid pen etched her snide words deeper into the back of Harry's hand, taking more and more willpower to keep his face impartial despite the pain that made his whole arm ache and burn. McGonagall certainly hadn't helped matters at all either. It seemed the second she found out about Yugi and Harry's second round of detentions, she stripped her own house of 10 points and threatened worse if she heard about any other transgressions.

To make matters worse, Bakura seemed to be deliberately avoiding everyone. They'd catch a glimpse of him or Ryou in class, but sitting in the furthest possible seat from them and he'd be long gone by the time class had let out. Ron had suggested following him after class one day when they couldn't find him in the Gryffindor tower, but Yami knew it was a pointless endeavor. If Bakura didn't want to be found, there wasn't much anyone could do about it, magic or not.

The week seemed to drag on, the end of each day punctuated by a torturously long detention. By Wednesday night, Harry's hand was still bleeding profusely by the time they got back to the Gryffindor common room. Both Ron and Hermione were up and waiting for them and pushed a bowl of yellow liquid towards Harry as the two flopped gratefully into easy chairs next to the fire.

"Essence of Murtlap," Hermione explained when Harry looked dubiously at the viscous liquid, "It should help with your hand."

The texture was like soggy pudding, but almost instantly the pain in his hand abated for the first time in days. Yugi sat exhausted in the chair, dark circles under his eyes from the long hours and continual strain the foreign magic put on his mind. It was certainly better than it had been, but it wasn't ebbing away fast enough for his liking. He knew Yami was trying to trigger the flashes to return, but the pounding on the inside of his skull had gotten old fast.

It took him a second and several odd stares from the others before he realized that the thumping wasn't coming from his head, but from the portrait hole and sounded very much like Malik and Kaiba.

_/That sounds like another headache to me,/ _Yami huffed groggily , as Hermione got to her feet and let the two inside.

"Hey wait a second," Harry said as the two duelists made themselves at home, "Isn't against some rule for you guys to be in here?"

"Rules don't apply to Kaiba," Malik said flippantly taking a seat next to Yugi, "And it's not like this is the first time we've been up here."

"It's not?" Yugi said, prying open one eye.

"We've been talking." Kaiba said, pulling out a few pieces of parchment, "We can't just put everything on hold until you get your hallucinations sorted out."

Yugi rolled his eyes, but neither he nor Yami was in the mood to correct him. Harry seemed to have perked up though and had leaned in a little closer to what Kaiba had pulled out. There were all manner of strange creatures crudely scratched into the parchment, some with notes next to them, others just haunted the page by themselves.

"We were attacked, these guys have been attacked," Malik said pointing Harry, and to a roughly drawn figure of what appeared to be a dementor on the parchment, "You were paid a visit from one of these too, I hear."

"Several," Harry nodded, "The Ministry tried to take my wand and expel me from Hogwarts over it."

"That's our point," Kaiba folded his arms, "Both of our groups have been attacked and brought together in the same place for 'protection' supposedly. We're supposed to be here to learn how to defend ourselves, and our teachers won't give us the knowledge to do that. And to top it all off this Ministry of yours is enforcing rules against self-defense?"

"That's what happens when you have a bunch of empty-headed bureaucrats in charge who are scared to face the truth," Harry said crossly, wishing Kaiba would get to the point.

"No," Yugi shook his head, realizing where Kaiba was going with this, "That goes beyond fear. The Order put us together hoping we'd be safer in one place, now the Ministry's trying to cripple us and make us into a bigger target for this Voldermort."

Ron and Hermione cringed slightly at the mention of the dark wizard's name.

"Exactly," Hermione nodded, recovering first, "That's why we've been thinking that maybe the time's come to….well, just do it ourselves."

"Do what ourselves?" Harry asked, getting a sneaking suspicion on where this was heading.

"We need to learn to defend ourselves," Kaiba said flatly, "I don't trust Cooper, and if Umbridge isn't going to do it, we need to find someone who can."

"Someone like you, mate," Ron said looking at Harry.

Harry looked shocked at the expectant stares coming at him from nearly everyone in the room. Yugi seemed to be just as surprised as he was, but after a second, he could see the young King of Games beginning to agree with the group.

"What?" Harry exclaimed, a grin on his face starting to form. He'd missed a punchline somewhere and was waiting for everyone to start laughing at him. He looked for some sign amidst the expectant faces staring back at his for some sign of the joke he was hoping he'd missed. Even Ron had a grim expression on his face.

"But…" Harry's eyes darted from face to face, suddenly feeling like a mouse caught in a corner, "I'm not a teacher!"

"You're the best at Defense against the Dark Arts." Hermione said, "You even beat me third year when we had someone who actually knew what they were doing teaching us."

"But-"

"Think about it Harry!" Ron said, "First year, you saved the Philosopher's stone-"

"That was luck-"

"Second year, you beat Riddle and the Basilisk," Ron ticked off on his fingers.

"If Fawkes hadn't-"

"Third year you saved Sirius and fought off all those dementors."

"But Hermione had-"

"Last year you actually faced off with You-Know-Who-"

"JUST STOP!" Harry bellowed.

Yugi, Malik and Kaiba sat like statues silently observing the whole scene, but Ron and Hermione were almost at the point of laughing. The contrast was enough to make Harry's temper rise in his throat, though he wasn't sure why it got under his skin.

"I don't know why you think I'm some brilliant wizard! I only made it through all of that because help arrived at the right time! I just always sort of….blundered through it all!" Harry said, the smash of the bowl his hand had been soaking in bringing to his attention he'd made it to his feet, "You make it sound heroic when it's not! It's nothing like what we do in class! There's no teacher to tell you the spell when you forget and your mind goes blank! There's no safety net, no protection! It's just you and a split second decision that somehow keeps you alive and keeps you from dying! It's not that I was smarter or better than Cedric! The _only_ reason I'm still alive, is because Voldermort needed me!"

The smiles had vanished from Ron and Hermione's faces, and the only sound in the room was Harry's own heavy breathing. He could feel the heat in his face, but now wasn't sure if it was from his tirade or from the unblinking gazes of the others.

"I don't know why you think I can do this," Harry said after a moment, waving his hand at Yugi and Malik, "I mean, aren't you guys supposed to be some powerful ancient wizards? Surely you could teach someone more than I could?"

"All the power in the world amounts to nothing when you're unprepared," Malik said quietly, "We may have control of another realm at our fingertips, but we are still human. We still have our limitations. And for all the power we had, if your Order hadn't shown up when they did, we would have been dead."

"You know what we're up against Harry," Yugi said quietly, "You've seen him, you've fought him. You're the one with the experience we don't have."

Harry suddenly felt very tired and sank back down into his chair, wishing he could disappear into the stuffing.

"At least think about it Harry," Hermione said.

"Yeah, alright," He muttered, rubbing his forehead with his good hand, while his other began to throb painfully again, "I think I'm going to go to bed."

"Not a bad idea," Ron nodded getting up to follow Harry up the stairs.

Hermione rose to her feet too, but looked back when no one else moved.

"Are you coming Yugi?" She asked.

"In a minute," Yugi yawned, "I don't hardly get to see these guys anymore."

Hermione nodded and quickly disappeared up the stairs, her footfalls fading into silence in the tower.

"Well?" Yugi sighed, "What do you guys think?"

"I don't like his apprehension." Kaiba said plainly, "But we don't have a wide variety of options at this point."

"What do Ryou and Bakura think?" Yugi asked.

"Couldn't tell you," Malik said with a shrug, "He's putting the Thief King title to good use lately. I'll catch a glimpse of him in the halls, then he's gone again."

"I'll try to talk to him tomorrow," Yugi nodded wearily, "Cooper's class will be as good a time as any."

Yugi may have been tired, but he didn't miss the quick exchange of glances that passed between Kaiba and Malik.

"What?"

"We can't tell you."

"What are you talking about?" Yugi frowned sitting up a little straighter in his chair, "Is it Bakura?"

"No it's…" Malik started, before he seemed to be choking on the words, "It's Cooper."

"Have you found out anything else?"

"Not exactly," Kaiba said, more than a little displeasure in his voice, as he rose to leave, "Just….watch your back tomorrow."

"That's it?"

"That's all we can say," Malik sighed, "Literally."

Yugi's frown deepened, but he got up to let the others out with a short good night before he returned to his easy chair by the fire. He thought about going up to bed, but the chair had already conformed to his body in a way that made it impossible for him to work up the energy to truck up the stairs. He rubbed his head instead, the headache now starting to return again as he tried to decipher his friends' cryptic warning.

"You'd think," Yugi sighed, his eyes getting heavy on him as he gave up at last, "the universe could be nice just once and give us a break."

_/That might just make things too easy./ _Yami remarked, before he let his lighter half get some much needed rest.

* * *

Gotc: Well, I'm off to do more typing! Remember: If you get bored waiting for the next update, you can always check me out on FictionPress…*Innocent whistle* Anyway, I'll shut up now and get to finishing the next installment here! Laters! (P.S. My fav link? You know the one. Don't forget to click it!)


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